Helmut K. Anheier says "no democracy is perfect or constant." He is talking about true democracy, which is a political system for choosing and replacing the government through free and fair elections. It encourages the active participation of citizens, in politics and civic life. Inclusive, it protects the human rights of all people, embracing the rule of law, and ensuring that laws and procedures apply equally to everybody.

But democracy could be hijacked by populists, who don't respect liberal values. Empowered by an unruly mob, they gain executive power, forming a government that sees anyone who opposes it as an "enemy of the people." It becomes an autocratic regime whose supporters are bigots and bullies. It's this us-versus-them dichotomy that divides a country at best and leads to a civil war at worst.

The author names recent events in Hungary and Poland, pitting pro-democracy protesters against their governments that ignore European values and EU laws. There may be many Hungarians and Poles who brave their autocratic governments, hoping their resilience would make a difference. Sadly, there aren't enough of them to go to the polls and prevent "overweening and abusive" politicians from gaining executive power.

It's true that "defenders of liberal democracy recognize that nothing can be taken for granted." In general, true democracy entails stability and prosperity, creating a sense of complacency that many citizens can't be bothered to vote, assuming the status quo would prevail. Others - alienated or anxious - want to make a difference, hoping their vote would bring the change they yearn for, that promises them the moon.

In order to avoid William Butler Yeats’s dismal remark - “the best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity,” voters, who care for democracy have to be more active. It's not enough to just "bemoan deficiencies and passively await constitutional reform." They should be open "to change and innovation." Changes for the better require patience and need time to "occur incrementally."

Protests are often the only hope for change in countries with a weak civil society and fragile institutions. There is no constitution and the checks-and-balances that guarantee the rule of law, and no mechanisms that "are crucial for ensuring that civil and political rights are protected." Protests help only when they gain media attention. Sometimes they help sway decisions of their governments or they are being suppressed.

In the West responsible governments often act “from above,” responding to "pleas by political movements and civil-society groups." A vibrant civil society encourages citizens to take actions “from below,” and to "give a voice to excluded groups, improve access to voting, and strengthen democratic processes."

Despite much criticism directed at institutions and organisations, they have often been "created to channel protest and dissent into the democratic process, so that certain voices are not driven to the political fringe." The German sociologist Claus Offe, "identifies two fundamental priorities for all democracies. The first is to secure all citizens’ basic rights and ability to participate in civic life; the second is to provide a just and open society with opportunities for all citizens."

The author says, Offe's "two imperatives are linked: democratic government should be “of,” “by,” and for the people." Voters, who complain about the "imperfections" of democracy tend to be irrational and fall prey to populist rhetoric, only to find themselves disappointed. Sometimes their actions could cause irreparable damage. Hence it is important to "encourage citizens to defend not just their own interests, but also those of the larger civic community."

