Is democracy appropriate for every culture/society?

The spread of democracy has been a major political force in the past 100 years or so. The US has tried to form democracies in some countries (Iraq and Afghanistan); some countries have had uprisings calling for democracy (Egypt, Tunisia, Libya); and some have shunned it in favour of other models (China, USSR).

While I have not lived through many major political events, I imagine that for countries not accustomed to democracy it may be seen in a similar way to the way the US viewed the spread of communism prior to the Vietnam War.

This has got me to thinking, is democracy desirable in all cultures and societies? Are there some situations in which socialism, monarchy or oligarchies are to some extent required by circumstance?