There isn't a point in history when democracy was practiced the way "we" do. Prior to late 1930's only a small chunk of the public was allowed to vote, women weren't allowed to vote in the west for instance but before that, during the era of athenian democracy it wasn't the free for all as it is today "Only adult male Athenian citizens who had completed their military training as ephebes had the right to vote in Athens. The percentage of the population that actually participated in the government was 10% to 20% of the total number of inhabitants, but this varied from the fifth to the fourth century BC.[25] This excluded a majority of the population: slaves, freed slaves, children, women and metics (foreign residents in Athens).[28] The women had limited rights and privileges, had restricted movement in public, and were very segregated from the men.[29]"