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Democracy : stories from the long road to freedom / Condoleezza Rice.

Van Pelt Library JC421 .R49 2017
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LIBRA JC421 .R49 2017
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LIBRA - Athenaeum of Philadelphia Circulating JC421 .R49 2017
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Format:
Book
Author/Creator:
Rice, Condoleezza, 1954- author.
Language:
English
Subjects (All):
Democracy--History.
Democracy.
History.
Democratization.
Democratization--Government policy--United States.
World politics--1989-.
World politics.
Cabinet officers--United States--Biography.
Cabinet officers.
Democratization--Government policy.
United States.
Diplomatic relations.
Equality--United States.
Rice, Condoleezza, 1954-.
Rice, Condoleezza.
Rice, Condoleezza 1954-.
United States--Foreign relations--2001-2009.
International relations.
Local Subjects:
Equality--United States.
Democracy--History.
Cabinet officers--United States--Biography.
World politics--1989-.
Rice, Condoleezza 1954-.
United States--Foreign relations--2001-2009.
Genre:
Biographies.
Autobiographies.
History.
Physical Description:
viii, 486 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (chiefly color), maps ; 24 cm
Edition:
First Edition.
Place of Publication:
New York, NY : Twelve, [2017]
Summary:
At a time when people around the world are wondering whether democracy is in decline, Condoleeza Rice shares insights from her experiences as a policymaker, scholar, and citizen in order to put democracy's challenges into perspective. When the United States was founded, it was the only attempt at self-government in the world. Today more than half of all countries qualify as democracies, and in the long run that number will continue to grow. Yet nothing worthwhile ever comes easily. Using America's long struggle as a template, Rice draws lessons for democracy around the world -- from Russia, Poland, and Ukraine, to Kenya, Colombia, and the Middle East. She finds that no transitions to democracy are the same because every country starts in a different place. Pathways diverge and sometimes circle backward. Timeframes for success vary dramatically, and countries often suffer false starts before getting it right. But, Rice argues, that does not mean they should not try. The question is not how to create perfect circumstances but how to move forward under difficult ones. The pursuit of democracy is a continuing struggle shared by people around the world, whether they are opposing authoritarian regimes, establishing new democratic institutions, or reforming mature democracies to better live up to their ideals. The work of securing it is never finished.
"From the former secretary of state and bestselling author -- a sweeping look at the global struggle for democracy and why America must continue to support the cause of human freedom. From the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union to the ongoing struggle for human rights in the Middle East, Condoleezza Rice has served on the front lines of history. As a child, she was an eyewitness to a third awakening of freedom, when her hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, became the epicenter of the civil rights movement for black Americans. In this book, Rice explains what these epochal events teach us about democracy. At a time when people around the world are wondering whether democracy is in decline, Rice shares insights from her experiences as a policymaker, scholar, and citizen, in order to put democracy's challenges into perspective."--Provided by publisher.
Contents:
Introduction: Is democracy in retreat?
The American experience
Russia and the weight of history
Martial law and the origins of Polish democracy
Ukraine: "A made-up country"?
Kenya: "Save our beloved country"
Colombia: The era of democratic security
The Middle East: Can democracy exist in a cauldron?
Iraq: When tyrants fall
Egypt and Tunisia: When old men fail
Arab monarchies: Will they reform?
Are authoritarians so bad?
What democracy must deliver
"Democracy is the worst ... except for all the others"
Epilogue: They will look to America
2016.
Notes:
"May 2017"--Title page verso.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 449-466) and index.
Local Notes:
Athenaeum copy: Livezey Fund bookplate.
ISBN:
9781455540181
1455540188
1538727463
9781538727461
9781538759974
1538759977
9781455571192
1455571199
OCLC:
958797575

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