Legitimate rule beyond the state, it appears, can no longer be discussed without reference to the notion of democracy. This is particularly evident in the reform debates countries engage in at the United Nations. Based on a novel data set, which covers a decade of democratic discourse by 159 states about two major UN bodies, the Security Council and the General Assembly, this book contributes to a better understanding of the democratic narrative, the patterns it takes, and the drivers behind it. Its insights contribute to research on the social legitimacy of international organisations, the contested meaning of norms, and global democracy. At a time when ideological competition is picking up steam, this book attests to the power of the democratic idea.