From Guilds to Pubs: The History of Democratic Practices (Part 1)

Scholars often frame the history of democracy as a gradual expansion of voting rights and representative institutions. Camille Creyghton, our guest today, offers a different perspective: democracy also emerged from radical movements and everyday practices of self-government. In her presentation at the Democracy Institute Annual Conference, held in Budapest in June 2026, Camille Creyghton challenged two assumptions: that democracy was gradually built through parliamentary institutions, and that it followed a gradual, top-down approach emanating from the Rousseau concept of nation-building. In many cases, democratic practices emerged from below to find practical solutions to collective problems.