We investigate the role played by urbanisation in the stability of democratic structures. Using data from Freedom House, we provide statistical evidence for urbanisation having a positive impact on the political stability of a country and even on civil liberties and political rights. We offer a complexity-science perspective on the underlying reasons for these observations and discuss how they might be harnessed to strengthen democracy on a national level.

K. Wiesner, Chapter 4: Learning from small urban nations: the importance of randomness and feedback for democratic stability, In: J. Portugali (ed.), The Crisis of Democracy in the Age of Cities (2023) 51-67.