Everyone knows that democracy is in trouble, but do we know what democracy actually is? This short, elegant volume explains how democracy is founded on three vital principles: liberty, equality, and also uncertainty. Acknowledging fully the dangers posed by populism, by kleptocratic autocracies like Russia's and by the digital authoritarianism of Xi, it also challenges the assumptions made by many liberals defending democracy in recent years. And it shows how the secession of plutocratic elites in the West has undermined much of democracy's promise. In response, we need to re-invigorate our institutions, especially political parties and professional media, but also make it easier for citizens to mobilize. Taking on many of the most difficult political questions we face, this book is a vital rethinking of what democracy is, and how we can reinvent our social contract.