Yet every young democracy needs the help of friends.

Many here are too quick to call every law they don't agree with fascist, not realizing that any democracy needs rules to work.

Such democracies, he says, need a thriving economy and a middle class that can form parties around issues other than ethnicity.

Eastern Europe's democracies also need help, but in different ways.

He liked to talk about other things: community values, taking care of kids, what democracy needs to work.

There's no arguing that a democracy needs representatives and voters who can think for themselves.

They need to learn that democracy needs to be exercised within the democratic institutions and not outside.

It is argued democracy needs to be redefined in function and meaning.

But long term, a healthy democracy needs real opposition Continue reading...

A healthy democracy needs to address the real issues.