Democracy as we know it is under attack around the world. In our own country, threats once hard to imagine have taken root: Voter suppression and foreign interference; misinformation and “fake news;” extreme polarization and gerrymandering. Starting today, the Ideas section is embarking on an ongoing look at the state of democracy — exploring the ways it has failed to live up to its promise, the forces that endanger it, and ways to shore it up for the future.

In this special section, we’re turning the typical model of journalism on its head — instead of focusing on what’s broken, we’re taking a look at what Massachusetts gets right. By many measures, we lead the nation in social indicators that have a direct impact on how we live. We wanted to know: How did we get here, what can we learn from our successes, and what can we teach other states? But it’s not all perfect: We also examine areas where Massachusetts can improve.