賴瑞‧戴蒙教授客觀的評價各地區新興民主國家的民主發展進程，以及民主實施經驗的得失，他也引用了大量的經驗資料來呈現各國公民對於自己國家民主經驗的評價。他試圖回答幾個關鍵的問題：
第一、當前新興民主體制共同面臨的難題與挑戰為何？
第二、為何有些新興民主的運作逐漸上軌道，而有些卻陷入嚴重的治理危機，甚至出現民主崩解？
第三、什麼樣的經濟、社會、文化、制度及國際環境因素，有助於民主體制的正常發展與逐步鞏固？哪些因素不利於民主的平穩運作與民主正當性基礎的強化，甚至不利於民主體制的生存？
第四、第三波民主化的前景究竟如何？如何能突破當前的瓶頸與困境？
第五，像中國大陸與新加坡這樣展現相當治理績效的非民主體制是否能持續，並且構成民主體制在意識型態領域的競爭對手？
第六、先進民主國家，尤其是美國，應該如何扮演好其扶持與協助新興民主的角色。
未來全球民主的展望
近年台灣歷經政黨對峙、政府空轉、貪腐等社會亂象，當我們深受其苦，努力超越這些問題之際，其實早在其他發展民主的國家中，便可找到借鏡。長久以來，一直致力於研究各國民主進程的知名社會學家賴瑞‧戴蒙，藉由各國發展民主的故事，指出「民主」絕非一人一票選總統那麼簡單，更不僅僅是體制的改變而已，重要的是改變人心。他明確定義何謂「民主」，進而闡述哪些因素可促進或阻礙民主發展，描繪使民主得以運作的政府機制與公民社會，希望藉由他山之石，找出改善民主制度的關鍵，如此一來，當大部分的人想要改變領導人和政策時，便能在既有的規範中，運用有效率的組織來達到改變的目的。
賴瑞‧戴蒙指出民主的敵人不是回教的聖戰運動、威權體制，而是人性的驕傲自大、不妥協、愚蠢與貪婪，在歷史上隨處可見因這些人性特點而垮台的民主故事，但是，他深信，人類具備從失敗中學習的能力。未來，即便如中國如此強大的共產威權國家，也會因為經濟發展影響社會結構與人民素質，而在下一世代轉型為民主國家。
民主，是與我們息息相關的生活形態，但它無法憑空獲得，甚至只要我們對政治、對社會漠不關心，民主就會再度消失。我們的生活幸福與否，一切關鍵便在於，我們是否參與其中。閱讀本書，當社會再度紛亂，你將具備清晰的思路邏輯、完整的背景知識，了解如何撥開迷霧，為建立美好社會盡一己之力。

From Publishers Weekly
Political scientist Diamond (Squandered Victory), a leader in the field of democracy studies, provides a broad, authoritative survey of international trends and evolving academic thinking concerning the development and maintenance of democracies worldwide. Looking broadly at internal and external factors driving democratic movements, as well as the forces that sustain them once in place, Diamond argues democracy is not a Western anomaly, but a universal value. Diamond, who served as senior advisor to the Iraqi Coalition Provisional Authority, has witnessed democracy-building efforts at close range. The promotion of democracy in authoritarian regimes through either peaceful pressure or international interventions, Diamond believes, is rarely effective unless supported by outside assistance designed to strengthen internal civil societies. Democracy by force, he intones, has the poorest track record of all, and urges the U.S. and other established democracies to clean up their own houses, reasoning that "It does little good to promote freedom abroad while it gradually slips away at home." Being generally sanguine about the nature and influence of democracies, however, Diamond tends to downplay how they might also serve to maintain exploitative social and economic relations, amongst other political complications, but there's much to glean in this optimistic and carefully supported account.
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Review
"Meticulous… hopeful… The Spirit of Democracy takes on the world [and] offers well-grounded support to anyone who has questioned the long-held theory… that the richer the country, the greater the chances of sustaining democracy."—The New York Times Book Review
"Diamond is… eloquent in arguing that despite the recent blunders of American democracy promoters, there is still a role for the international community in helping societies that are struggling to be free."—Foreign Affairs
"Diamond … strenuously argues against the cynical idea that certain religions, cultures, or societies are incompatible with democracy, pointing to the progress of the past three decades as evidence that democracy is indeed a universal aspiration."—The Chronicle Review
"The Spirit of Democracy is a worthwhile corrective to America’s post-Iraq pessimism about the future of democratic ideals throughout the world."—Francis Fukuyama, author of America at the Crossroads: Democracy, Power, and the Neoconservative Legacy
"Diamond offers a path forward, full of his customary wisdom, tough-mindedness, and passion. With friends like him, the spirit of democracy will rise again."—Peter Beinart, senior fellow, Council on Foreign Relations, and author of The Good Fight
"No one has thought harder or more broadly about the past and future of democracy than Larry Diamond. A passionate treatment, infused with optimism and eminently readable, The Spirit of Democracy is a must for anyone who cares about the toughest challenge of balancing national values and national interests."—Jessica Tuchman Mathews, president, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
"Ambitious [and] authoritative… Truly interesting."—McClatchy-Tribune Regional News
"A thoroughly researched and informative account… intelligently composed [and] sure to provoke discussion… Highly recommended."—The Midwest Book Review
"Passionate… a refreshingly evenhanded overview of democracy’s global prospects… [Diamond’s] view… is wide-ranging and carefully considered, making this an especially effective work."—Kirkus Reviews