Low-Tech Democracy.

[Cato the Elder]

I have started thinking about how a strong, pre-industrial democracy larger than a city-state might exist, both as a thought experiment and as idle brainstorming for a future game, and I would like to hear others' opinions on the matter.

Lest there be confusion, I should first elaborate on what I mean. By "strong democracy", I mean a centralized government on a more-or-less Western, indirectly and popularly democratic model in which suffrage is widespread, although I am also interested in hearing how other cultural models might create similar results. By "pre-industrial", I mean a state without access to technology postdating the Industrial Revolution (in GURPS terms, TLs 0-4, but focusing primarily on TLs 0-3, as TL 4 saw the emergence of several democracies of one stripe or another). By "larger than a city-state", I mean much larger, up to and including a region as large as a historical empire.

To further stimulate conversation, I have considered some "ingredients" that might be necessary for such a state's existence, although these are obviously not exclusive (or even necessarily correct). Pick and parse at your leisure.

1. Political theory. A democratic state cannot exist if the idea of democracy has not been articulated in political thought.

2. Political will. Democracy relies upon the participation of at least some portion of a state's population. If people cannot, or will not, take part in government, democracy cannot exist.

3. Political stability. Legitimacy must be established to create a democracy, rule of law must be established to allow it to function, and a means of defense must be established to safeguard a democracy from its enemies.

4. Communication and transportation. Information must be disseminated, and officials dispatched, much more swiftly in a democracy than in a less representative state if it wishes to be anything more than a very loose democratic confederation. This is possibly the most limiting factor for low-tech democracies.

With that said, here are my questions. Without resorting to fantastic elements, how might a low-tech, expansive democratic (direct or indirect) state function? How might such a state emerge in the first place? What challenges would such a state be confronted with? Thanks in advance for your replies.