A series about the ideas that have shaped the world we live in, created in association with Victoria University of Wellington's Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and RNZ.

It is a commonplace belief that the best form of government is a democratically elected one. Recent events may lead many of us to question this notion. In this episode we look at how the idea of democracy in ancient Athens gave rise to and evolved into the democratic institutions of today. We also consider challenges to democracy in recent times, how we might best participate in democracy, and whether different forms of democracy are representative.

Featuring Professor Art Pomeroy, Emeritus Professor Nigel Roberts and Associate Professor Kate Hunter. Hosted by RNZ's Megan Whelan