a great democracy has got to be progressive or it will soon cease to be great or a democracy.
Ideally, the foundations of democracy should be derived from the people. The people--as a collective entity--is always changing. That's in a general sense. America as a full fledged democracy is arguable just because we elect representatives to choose further up the food chain. On the other hand, that can be considered democracy in play in itself.
An example of progress in democracy, formerly marginalized people would add into the collective people.
The more input, the greater the people beneifited, the more impact, the greater the society.