‘There is no and can be no “ideal” democracy’

"Democracy is always unfinished business. It is not a recipe for Paradise on Earth," John Keane, the renowned professor of political science at the University of Sydney, tells Kathimerini. With his works translated into 35 languages, Professor Keane has been described as one of the leading contemporary political thinkers by The Times, delving into the concepts of democracy, the evolution of institutions, and the interaction of polities and social phenomena.

Having read his recent book, "The Shortest History of Democracy," we talked to Keane about his interpretation of "democracy," its essential components, and its contemporary cracks by populist tendencies. According to the professor, "democracy, historically, from the time of the early Greek democracies, has been about equality, while it is the enemy of aristocracy, of monarchy, of tyranny, of despotism, of dictatorship."<...