# Rehabilitating Democracy, George Grote **URL:** **By** Paul Meany **Published:** April 23, 2020 --- The 19th-century reformer and self-taught classicist George Grote was responsible for the rehabilitation of democracy as a viable and virtuous form of government. For a long time, the word democracy was synonymous with anarchy due to the horror stories of ancient Athenian democracy. The self-taught polymath and enthusiastic democrat George Grote rehabilitated democracy by arguing that Athens, the birthplace of democracy, was a vibrant and liberal society. Grote was no mere academic; he was also on the frontline for the fight for democratic rights such as the secret ballot and a more inclusive voting system. ## Related Content: [Ancient Greece’s Legacy for Liberty: Economic Freedom in Athens](https://www.libertarianism.org/columns/ancient-greeces-legacy-liberty-economic-freedom-athens), written by Roderick T. Long [Property Rights and Law Among the Ancient Greeks](https://www.libertarianism.org/essays/property-rights-law-among-ancient-greeks), written by Gregory Rehmke [Overdoing Democracy](https://www.libertarianism.org/podcasts/free-thoughts/overdoing-democracy), Free Thoughts Podcast