What does Improving Access mean? Improving Access means ensuring that the dimensions of democracy mentioned above in the ‘rationale’ are realized. It means identifying the problems of modern democratic governance. We therefore understand Access in democratic societies as the match between the institutional capacity to deliver rights or services and the citizen’s capacity to enjoy those rights or services. As the examples in the ‘rationale’ illustrate we often notice a mismatch between the two. People may have the right to start a business, participate in politics, receive social benefits or take a case to court, but in practice, many obstacles stand in the way. The research project Improving Access explores the ways in which democratic institutions fail or succeed to create genuinely equal opportunities.