The idea and reality of governance has changed significantly since the dawn of democracy many centuries ago. Almost all countries embraced some form of democracy uncontested as the model of governance with the end of colonialism hoping for a stable prosperous future. People dreamed of emulating affluent western countries as a model for their development. Down the decades since the end of colonialism, communism was on a shaky ground since the 1980s which inspired many countries to change their system of governance. There were nonviolent and violent movements to dislodge autocrats like in The Philippines and absolute monarchs like in Nepal. There were floods of colour revolution as in Belarus, Georgia, Ukraine, and not to forget the Arab Spring that started in Tunisia swept almost the entire Middle East spreading to Libya, Egypt, Syria, Iraq etc. But this wave of democracy suddenly vanished leaving behind destruction and chaos and in some cases installing corrupt leaders as in-charge of governance through democratic elections. The political dramas of the past four decades will remain as a unique period in history.
There is hardly a day our leaders and international statesmen not talking about democracy in any formal or informal forum. Since 1990, there is perhaps no UN document or documents produced by western countries for bilateral assistance that does not mention promotion of democracy as a condition for assistance. The multilateral agencies and lending agencies also adhere to the same conditionality to the recipient countries for assistance. Yet, it seems like the principles of democracy and the aura of democracy is everywhere and nowhere. Where did it go wrong?
High expectation?
In 1941 there were only 11 democracies with the rest being colonies and protectorates of the western powers. In the year 2000 The Freedom House classified 120 countries as democracies where people were able to speak their mind and choose leaders of their choice. But in reality, it was just a number as the leaders were unable to create a viable democratic society bringing in disillusion and even chaos. Speaking their minds also have serious cost almost everywhere.
The Economist identified two reasons for the retreat of democracy in its publication of 27th Feb 2014. First reason was the global financial crisis as many countries seem unable to cope with the economic harm created largely by rampant privatisation as part of liberal economy tagged with democracy. It was beneficial only to the rich and powerful while the majority were being exploited with no end in sight. It is as though the democratic governance forgot about the equity and equality in managing economic governance which gave a bad name to democracy.
The second reason according to The Economist is the ‘rise of China’. Since Deng Xiaoping initiated reforms of political-economy in 1979 with a long-term perspective, China’s industrial production grew exponentially aided by China’s huge reserve of labour force accompanied by local and foreign direct investments. As China became a global manufacturing hub its industrial output impacted globally. Because of China’s centralised governance with one-party system the country was able to stick with long term plans while in democracies where ruling elites change every four to five years, all their agenda and plans appear to focus largely on the election cycle. Could one really blame China for the problems elsewhere?
Democracy made to fail
Without debating the varied definition of democracy proposed by academics from ancient to modern times, democracy according to the United Nations is a system which provides an environment that respects human rights and fundamental freedom, and in which freely expressed will of people is exercised. In essence this ideal democracy as a system of governance does not exist anywhere as the candidates of opposition parties are being banned and journalists being silenced routinely in many countries. What we have is a varied form of political institutions managed by people with vested interest elected or selected by some form of electoral process. The biggest problem of democracy is that while the government is managed by the elected majority, they are unable to protect the large minority, at least in low- and mid-income countries.
According to the Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU) in 2022 only about 8% of the world population (in 24 countries) actually live in fully functional democracy while 37% of the world population (in 59 countries) live under dictatorships. Democracy as a system of governance have failed miserably.
In a Pew Research of 2017 with samples from 38 countries as many as 26% and 49% of respondents respectively proposed a government ruled by a strong leader or by an expert or even a military ruler (24%) to replace the current system of ‘democratic governance’. Sweden has the strongest level of commitments for representative democracy with 52% of the respondents with positive response while Mexico and Russia have the least commitments for representative democracy with 9% and 7% of respondents respectively with positive response. It is an indirect reflection that people would be happy to put up with any system if it delivers growth and if they provide basic necessities for all. People cannot be blamed for their choice, which they make out of necessity.
In recent years interference by foreign countries in the electoral process in North American countries have been in news at least in the last election cycle. But in many low- and mid-income countries in politically important regions and in countries with abundant natural resources there has always been foreign interference. But it is done while promoting democracy, freedom and self-determination. With the exception of Tunisia all colour revolutions have external roots. The story of democracy in Iraq, Libya, Yemen, Syria, etc. are all too well known. On the contrary, support for the dictators in west African countries with abundant natural resources by the West are too well known. Sometimes in countries where democracy was already flourishing there were interventions to install another puppet democratic leader with yet another election. But the mainstream media never tell the stories as it is. Hypocrisy at its best!
Since the destruction of Iraq followed by Libya people have fully understood the toxicity of the western idea of bringing democracy. They were simply a recipe for instability and disaster. The most recent example of the western government’s unwavering support for ‘democratically’ elected autocrats replacing democratically elected head of state as in Egypt simply gave a bad name to democracy.
The recent statement by the US Senator Bernie Sanders in an article on 18 March 2024 (Foreign Affairs) says it all, - ‘economic policy is the foreign policy. As long as the corporations and billionaires have a stronghold on our economy and political system, foreign policy discussion will be guided by their material interests, not those of the vast majority of the world population’.
Governance has become the slave to the corporations and billionaires; democracy is a lost cause.
There is no point in blaming ‘democracy’ if the government takes a decision that is not to your liking. It just means that you are in the minority. Democracy is a necessary but not sufficient attribute of a country worth living in.
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