There can be no question that over the last century, our world has changed more, and at a quicker pace than any other time in history. I grant I could be wrong as I have not done any research in this area, but technological advances and an unprecedented interaction between almost every culture on this planet, has in my opinion, led to a massive global cultural change that is a culmination of the last several centuries that have seen increased mobility of citizens, sharing of technology and wares of all kinds, and an ever increasing share of the nations of this world have governments that have been turned over to their people, is simply astonishing.
Although the ideas of democracy and religious tolerance have existed for millennia, and technology has risen and fallen over time, it would seem at the beginning of the 21st century, humanity exists in a profoundly different world than did our great-great grandparents.
It is illustrating to realize that the world now has functioning democracies