A new global study is reshaping long-held views about the origins of democracy. Researchers report that systems of shared and inclusive governance or democracy were not limited to ancient Greece, but appeared across multiple regions of the world.
The study, published in Science Advances, draws on archaeological and historical evidence from 31 ancient societies across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. It shows that collective decision-making developed independently in different cultures, challenging the idea that democracy followed a single historical path.
Democratic practices extended beyond Greece and Rome
For many years, historians associated democracy mainly with ancient Athens and, to a lesser extent, Republican Rome. The new findings suggest a wider reality.
Gary Feinman, the study’s lead author and MacArthur Curator of Mesoamerican and Central American Anthropology at the Field Museum, said the evidence challenges this narrow view. He explained that several societies outside Europe created systems that limited the power of rulers and allowed ordinary people to take part in governance.
David Stasavage, a professor at New York University, said the findings point to a broader pattern. Systems resembling both democracy and autocracy were present across different regions of the ancient world.
Researchers look beyond elections to define governance
The study draws a clear distinction between autocracy and democracy. In autocratic systems, power is held by one individual or a small group. In more inclusive systems, authority is shared more widely.
Researchers note that elections alone do not define democracy. Some autocratic leaders have also come to power through elections. Instead, the team focused on two key dimensions: how concentrated power was, and how inclusive decision-making processes were.
These measures allowed researchers to assess governance across societies with very different political and cultural structures.
Architecture and urban design reveal power structures
Because many ancient societies left no written records, researchers relied on physical evidence to understand how power was organized.
They studied settlement patterns, architecture, and public spaces. Large open plazas and buildings designed for gatherings suggest that people could meet, share ideas, and participate in decisions. In contrast, cities with restricted spaces or layouts centered on a ruler’s residence indicate more centralized control.
Democracy didn’t start only in ancient Greece.
A new global study finds many ancient societies across Europe, Asia, and the Americas practiced shared governance and limited the power of rulers. The roots of democracy may be far more global than we thought. pic.twitter.com/xRcVaarFNa
— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) March 19, 2026
Art and burial practices also offered insights. Monumental tombs and images portraying rulers as dominant figures point to concentrated power. Fewer depictions of rulers and more communal spaces suggest broader participation.
To compare these systems, the team created an “autocracy index,” placing each society on a spectrum from highly centralized rule to more collective governance.
Financing of power shaped political systems
The study also challenges the idea that larger or more complex societies naturally become more autocratic.
Researchers found that population size and political scale did not determine how power was distributed. Instead, the key factor was how rulers financed their authority.
Societies that relied on elite-controlled resources, such as mines, long-distance trade, or war plunder, tended to concentrate power. In contrast, societies funded through broader systems like taxation or shared labor were more likely to distribute authority.
Inclusive systems linked to lower inequality
The findings show a strong connection between governance and economic outcomes. Societies with more inclusive political systems generally had lower levels of inequality.
Co-author Linda Nicholas, an adjunct curator of anthropology at the Field Museum, said the research highlights how societies created systems that allowed wider participation. These findings suggest that democracy has deeper and more widespread roots than previously believed.
Lessons from the past remain relevant today
Researchers say the study offers insights that go beyond history. Evidence shows that societies across the world built inclusive systems even under difficult conditions.
At a time when wealth and power are increasingly concentrated, understanding how earlier societies balanced authority and participation may help identify risks in modern systems.
Feinman said archaeology can reveal patterns that offer guidance for today. The study, he said, provides a new perspective on how governance systems develop and how they can remain inclusive over time.