Greece 500 BC
OK it wasn’t a universal democracy - they didn’t let the slaves vote, but then, neither did America.
Greece, ehe? Well…what have they done for us lately? 
I think you could make a good arguement that Greece was the father of democracy, but if you read the OP, s/he is asking questions about the current leader in democracy (whatever THAT means exactly…I take it to mean most prominent). Where would you rank Greece in TODAYS democracies?
-XT
And how is ‘we are the oldest democracy in existence’ a valid argument in that you are the best democracy in existence?
Uhm…who’s making that argument that we’re the ‘best’ democracy? That’s different from being a leader. The leader of my archdiocese is currently Cardinal Edward Egan, but I know several priests who are better people than he is (IMO). Doesn’t mean that Egan is the worst priest ever, or that he’s not in a very powerful position.
I notice the OP seems to have absconded anyway.
I haven’t abconded.
I am eating humble pie at my misguided point of view.
All the same, some interesting points were raised.
What’s the definition of “leader in democracy”, anyway? If it means “most democratic”, it might be Switzerland, since they hold referendums every other day, locally or nationally, about minor and major issues alike. So, the people have much more of a say in political choices than in most others democracies.
That is what I understood the gist of the question to be. The best democracy, ‘shining beacon’ and all that. Whether the US really was the shining beacon of democracy. In that regard I didn’t see why being the oldest entered into the equasion.
How old is the Swiss democracy anyway?
My interpretation and understanding of the definition of “leader in democracy”, is a nation that consistently demonstrates above all other nations a true adherence to the democratic process with the complete involvement of the people by the government at every level (social class & issues) without bias and vice versa.
This excludes foreign policy.
Obviously no single nation can achieve 100% but, which nation has come close to this (documented)?