The Struggle For Democracy: Genesis

When the Canadian government invoked the War Measures Act in October 1970, and rounded up some 450 people suspected of being members of the Front de Liberation du Quebec, the action led host Patrick Watson to think about what we mean when we talk about "democracy." How, Watson wondered, can East Germany and West Germany, for instance, both claim to be democracies? In this, the series opener, Watson travels back in time to the birth of democracy: Athens, 508 B.C., where the ideas of a young and persistent idealist named Pericles changed the course of Athenian government for nearly 200 years. Although Athenian democracy doesn't exactly fit the American notion of democracy, this nascent form of government (even with its restrictions) was unheard of before (and wouldn't be heard of again for two centuries). In addition, Watson examines the young democracy of Peru--a democracy under fire, the success of Japanese democracy (which was forced on Japan following WWII), and the town meeting of a tribe in Botswana. Interestingly, the Botswana tribes have had these representative town meetings since the 15th century. In other words, it seems as if democracy in Africa predates both the French and the American revolutions. A stimulating opener to what promises to be an incisive series. Highly recommended. (See ATLANTIC REALM for availability.)