Older democracies

The editorial ``Clinton in Moscow,'' Jan. 18, reports President Clinton to have said that America is the world's oldest democracy and Russia is the youngest. This makes a neat word package but it strays from the truth. Two thousand years ago the Greek civilization was called a democracy. At least 100 years before the US became a nation, the parliament in England took all power from the king and from the hereditary House of Lords and gave it to the elected House of Commons. To me this is a democracy. The editorial later repeats the claim that America is the oldest democracy. In an ``international'' newspaper, I expect to see statements that are not so biased toward an American view. Glenn W. McCullough, Calgary, Alberta

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