Sergi Reboredo/VW Pics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images November 1, 2022 Democracy spreads in waves – but shared cultural history might matter more than geography David Welch, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau; Luke J. Matthews, RAND; Quentin Douglas Atkinson, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau, and Thanos Kyritsis, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau New research suggests countries with cosmopolitan values may be more likely to shift towards democracy, but democratic institutions can’t endure without sustained efforts to promote such values.