20 January 2015 marks the 750th anniversary of the first parliament of elected representatives at Westminster, the de Montfort Parliament
50 years earlier Magna Carta - or the Great Charter - was sealed by King John in 1215 and established for the first time that everyone, including him, was subject to law
The BBC is broadcasting a day of live events, discussion and debate broadcast from inside Westminster and the BBC Radio Theatre
Highlights include an interview with the inventor of the World Wide Web, Sir Tim Berners Lee; live streaming of BBC News meetings; and panel debates from inside the Radio Theatre
Democracy Day is produced in collaboration with the House of Commons and the House of Lords
Businessman Jason Njoku contrasts Rwanda with Nigeria: I was amazed how clean and efficient Kigali (Rwandan capital) is. President Kagame brought in young people with fresh ideas. In Nigeria that doesn't happen - it's still a requirement for somebody high up to give you that position.
David Bowes from Middlesborough, UK, emails: Change the voting system. 'First Past the Post' is archaic, not representative of the increasingly switched on and distrusting electorate, it's eroding democratic credibility of Westminster. 'Safe seats' under FPTP are destructive to democracy and leave huge numbers of voices and opinions not represented. We need consensus governance reflecting the complexities of our interconnected societies. We need many voices not one.
An audience member in the African democracy debate: Younger generation is not being given the chance to participate in politics, because of religion, voting on ethnic grounds and respect for your elders.
Can modern democracy withstand the forces that threaten to destabilise it - such as extremist attacks or even everyday voter apathy? BBC Radio 4's Today programme heard from Sylvie Bermann, French ambassador to the UK, and Matthew Barzun, US ambassador to the UK.
Watch democracy in action. Democracy Live is live paging the House of Commons and House of Lords debates here.
Jason Njoku, from Nigeria, complains that in Nigeria politics still comes down to "what tribe are you from"?
The panel (left to right): Chairman Alex Jakana, Nana Akufo-Addo (Ghanaian politician), Jason Njoku (Nigerian businessman), Ayat Mneina (Libyan youth activist), Robtel Neajai Pailey (Liberian academic).
Ruth Davey emailed this picture she took on Saturday which she says captures the principles of democracy. She took it at a demonstration in Stroud against Eric Pickle's decision to sign a contract with Urbaser Balfour Beatty to build an incinerator nearby - the decision is being heavily opposed.
Image source, Ruth Davey
So is Africa inventing democracy? The current debate in the BBC's Radio Theatre is being closely watched by its audience.
Jason Njoku, founder of Iroko Partners, African online entertainment business: In Nigeria if you're in political office you make a lot of money. Every week there's a political scandal, with someone's hand in the till. But nothing ever happens.
Robtel Neajai Pailey, Liberian academic: Corruption is a problem - politicians signing concession deals which don't benefit people on the ground. Multinationals are complicit in that, and it needs citizen engagement to expose the powers that be.
Image source, APTo understand modern democracy, it is necessary first to forget about the ancient Greeks, argues Professor Conor Gearty, director of the Institute of Public Affairs. He tracks twists and turns in people's view of democracy - from Russia's Lenin (whose head is pictured above) to UK comedian Russell Brand - as he asks whether it is possible to save it?
Nana Akufo-Addo, Ghanaian opposition leader (New Patriotic Party): I'm not happy with the amount of power presidents have - the question is, how can we get more people involved in the process, to say no, the balance should not be this way?
Ayat Mneina, Libyan online political activist says: In Libya groups don't have allegiance to one party, or to a state. Young people have been pushed into the background. The governments are made up of a majority older male demographic. But it was the young who largely took to the streets. Disenfranchised youth took up arms.
Does Islam have a problem with democracy-or vice-versa? Join the conversation on Twitter with @BBC_WHYS, external as BBC World Have Your Say asks some big questions.
John Richards emails: We do not have any right to regard ourselves as the 'Mother of Democracy', or to lecture the rest of the world on the matter. We need a proper secular democracy with a written constitution and bill of rights, including the right to own our homes and the land they stand on, if we expect to be taken seriously in the 21st century. Keep the monarchy if you want by all means, but not as head of government or armed forces.
Live debate is under way now in Radio Theatre: Is Africa reinventing democracy? Follow the webcast on this live page.
Are you interested in hearing more on the question, Why Democracy? If so, you might want to listen back to a special edition of Radio 4's The Public Philosopher, in which Michael Sandel, professor of government at Harvard University, speaks to an audience of MPs, peers and the public deep inside the Palace of Westminster.
Image source, APThe BBC's Yolande Knell in the West Bank city of Ramallah examines the problems bedevilling Palestinian democracy, as Hamas and Fatah remain rivals for power. Read her analysis here.
The Crick Centre
tweets:, external @BBC_HaveYourSay we've been looking at links between Democracy and Queen's song 'I want to break free', external #DemocracyDay