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Columnist Steve Chapman’s progress report on democracy reminds us how slow and painful progress can be (“In 2005, democracy made steady trudge forward; But that is not synonymous with liberty, which lags in many countries,” Commentary, Dec. 22). It’s hard to imagine that less than half the world’s people live in societies that we would recognize as free.
The steps from tyranny to freedom have always been halting, difficult and, for the most part, violent. The few who have power over the many don’t surrender that power easily.
But the people who have paid the price to free themselves of tyrants don’t willingly forfeit their power either. They have right on their side, as well as numbers.
In the long run, my money’s on them.
