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This paper distinguishes between nomological and historical explanations of democracy. The former searches for the general conditions under which democracies emerge (modernization theory is the most accomplished example). The latter asks about the historical origins of democracy and its expansion. It is argued that representative democracy was born at the end of 18th century in the West because this was the region of the world with higher levels of individualism, assuming a tight affinity between the values of individualism and democracy (equality and freedom).