The Future of Democracy

“Democracy is something that is only ever as good as the education” — Socrates

Overall public trust in governments are hitting historic lows. Just 18% of Americans trust the government to make the right decisions. Even worryingly, a quarter of millennials believe choosing leaders in elections is not important. With the rapid rise of authoritarian leaders across the world and the removal of democratic norms, democracy is in a vulnerable state.

The pain and destruction of the Second World War led to the creation of structures to embed nation states in international webs in order to pool resources, share sovereignty, and force politicians to adopt a broader mind-set in a multitude of ways. Since the beginning of “Third Way” democracy, it has swept into Africa, Europe, Latin America and some Asian countries. Liberal democracy became the favoured approach of government in most parts of the globe. The world has gone through incredible changes in the last 20 years. The technological advancements has had effects on the economy, society and politics in a manner no one anticipated. Inequality in developed countries is rising yet there are signs that millions are rising out of poverty in developing countries.

New democratic states in Europe and the Middle East have gone back to authoritarian rulers with populist leaders removing basic civil liberties gaining popularity. The backlash to democracy is stronger than ever.