Is Democracy Dying?

There is much talk on the streets and in the newsrooms that Democracy itself is in trouble – and not just in Trump’s America. People talk of a 1930’s vibe when democracies across the world trembled, some fell, and it looked briefly like the great democratic experiment was coming to an end. Is that’s what is happening today? Was the 2008 banking crisis our 1929 Wall Street Crash? Are we heading for another Stalin, Mussolini or Hitler to arise if he hasn’t done so already? Are things anywhere near that bad?

It has been said, more than half jokingly, that although History doesn’t repeat itself sometimes it does rhyme. So it’s not hard to see a number of similarities between what was happening across the world in the run up to World War Two and today’s headlines. I think it’s beyond argument that it’s something we should all be concerned about. Few democracies die because of a political or military coup. When they fail, as German and Italian democracy failed, it was through a mixture of fear, opportunism and neglect. The apparent similarities, especially in the US, are striking. Could a popularist demagogue so undermine American democracy that he could become the country’s first Fascist dictator? Could it happen here (or actually there)? Yes, it could. I don’t believe that there’s anything unique about America to stop something like that ever happening? Is it happening now or could it happen soon? Well, I really don’t think so.

Democracies that fail are usually in such a weakened state, after war, revolution or economic collapse, that dictatorship is often seen as the solution to problems that cannot be addressed in any other way. Democratic systems throughout Europe, the US and across the world are nowhere near that state today and for many it is almost inconceivable that they will get there. Despite the present quiet compliance of the US Republican party other organs of the democratic spirit are working exactly as they should despite, or even because they are, being under almost daily attack. Democracy is most certainly being challenged in the US but I for one do not believe it is under threat. Indeed it is clear that the behaviour of the incumbent in the Whitehouse is galvanising a democratic (in both senses of the word) opposition that may very well tip the balance of power in November. The young in particular, on both sides of the pond, are waking up to the fact that their vote not only matters but that if they abrogate their responsibility to be politically active citizens then others who do not have their interests in mind will make decisions for them that they could regret for a very long time indeed – the Brexit vote for example. As Obama said in his speech just recently, if you think that your vote has no meaning or is a waste of your time then the last two years should have disabused you of that. That’s a message that was heard on both Atlantic coasts. After the doldrums of the 90’s when the voting numbers fell on almost every election we are now looking at increasing numbers of people – and especially people under 30 – who will vote in local elections never mind national one’s. The Scottish Independence referendum was a revelation to many with the numbers who turned out as well as the quality of the debate at the grass roots level.

The rise of Nationalist parties, Popular Fronts, Independence Movements and much else besides has increasingly politicised a generation of previously cynical non-voters. Rather than the 1930’s the present political situation looks more like the 1960’s and 1970’s (Nixon being much talked about presently!) with rising protests and increasing political activism. This is not to say that we should not worry. We have every right to be afraid for our democratic norms. But democracy is far from dead. It is, indeed, far from wounded. Maybe we all needed this situation we are going through in order to wake us up from our complacency. Democracy, just like a fabulous houseplant, needs to be nurtured and cared for. Neglected for too long, taken for granted, it will sicken. What we are seeing are the signs of neglect. Some leaves have turned yellow at the edges. The soil is dry and needs watering. Its death, although foretold, has been greatly exaggerated. Democracy is stronger than that. Just don’t forget to vote every time you can….