Research Reveals Democracy's Global Roots Beyond Greece

Study finds shared, inclusive governance was more common in ancient societies than previously believed.

Mar. 19, 2026 at 5:14am

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A new study analyzing archaeological and historical evidence from 31 ancient societies across Europe, Asia, and the Americas has found that shared, inclusive governance was far more common than previously thought, challenging the assumption that democratic practices started only in Greece and Rome.

Why it matters

This research provides a broader historical perspective on the origins of democratic practices, showing they were not limited to a few ancient societies but were more widespread globally. It challenges the notion that autocracy and inequality are natural or inevitable outcomes of complex societies, and offers insights that may be relevant to understanding modern political and economic trends.

The details

The researchers examined 40 cases from 31 different political units, spanning thousands of years, and systematically analyzed aspects of the places' architecture, art, and urban planning to infer the degree of political power concentration and inclusiveness. They found that societies with more inclusive political systems generally had lower levels of economic inequality, and that the strongest factor shaping how much power rulers held was how they financed their authority - societies dependent on monopolized revenue tended to be more autocratic, while those funded through broad internal taxes or community labor were more likely to distribute power.

  • The study was published on March 19, 2026.

The players

Gary Feinman

The lead author of the study and the MacArthur Curator of Mesoamerican and Central American Anthropology at the Field Museum's Negaunee Integrative Research Center.

David Stasavage

A professor at New York University who observed that the study's findings challenge the entrenched view that Athens and Republican Rome were the only ancient democracies.

Linda Nicholas

The Adjunct Curator of Anthropology at the Field Museum and a coauthor of the study, who noted that the findings reveal democracy has deep and widespread historical roots.

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What they’re saying

“People often assume that democratic practices started in Greece and Rome, but our research shows that many societies around the world developed ways to limit the power of rulers and give ordinary people a voice.”

— Gary Feinman, Lead author of the study

“These findings show that both democracy and autocracy were widespread in the ancient world.”

— David Stasavage, Professor, New York University

“Societies also developed ways for people to share power and facilitate inclusiveness, revealing that democracy has deep and widespread historical roots. I think a lot of people would find that surprising.”

— Linda Nicholas, Coauthor of the study, Adjunct Curator of Anthropology at the Field Museum

What’s next

The researchers plan to continue their analysis of ancient societies to further uncover the global origins and historical development of democratic practices.

The takeaway

This study challenges the long-held assumption that democracy originated only in ancient Greece and Rome, showing that shared, inclusive governance was far more common across the ancient world. It provides a broader historical perspective on the roots of democratic practices and offers insights that may be relevant to understanding modern political and economic trends.