Is it possible you have a slightly rosy view of how democracy worked in the past? As much as I don't believe in the inevitable march of progress I'm also fair

Is it possible you have a slightly rosy view of how democracy worked in the past? As much as I don't believe in the inevitable march of progress I'm also fairly skeptical that we're heading to hell in a handcart (excluding the potential environmental catastrophe which would be a genuinely novel experience). The past was pretty shitty. Many things are getting better. Some things are getting worse. Eternal vigilance etc...