[badpun]

> Since at least medieval times, civilization as a whole has tended to move towards freer, more democratic societies - almost without any meaningful, lengthy changes. This is particularly true since the industrial revolution. (Correct me if I'm wrong above.)

This is a very Eurocentric view. In the rest of the world, this mostly wasn't (and still isn't) the case.

[estomagordo]

Yeah, I realize I'm being rather eurocentric. The setbacks have been longer and more plentiful in Africa and Asia, but I maintain that the trend is also true there.

[badpun]

Where exactly? I'd say that democracies took root only in places (such as India, Japan) which were conquered and then organized by western countries. Other than that, not so much.

[estomagordo]

I don't know of any African countries where the people's democratic freedoms are much more prevalent today than they were centuries ago.