This essay addresses the problems faced by liberal democracies today, particularly in the United States and Europe. It is argued that the democratic society of the United States is being tested by the success of China’s Communist example, and that the actions of populist leaders around the world, especially in Kenya and Poland, can also be viewed as proof of a declining democracy. Democratic advancements in a few African and South American nations are addressed, but the conclusion reached is that the complications in the advancement of democracy increasingly encountered in developing and developed nations, makes the threat to democracy a global issue.
At a glance
- Examines China’s economic model alongside challenges facing the United States
- Discusses media-related actions by political leaders in Kenya and Poland
- 17 sources in the bibliography
Table of Contents
The document does not contain a table of contents.
Objectives and Topics
This essay asks whether democracy is experiencing a setback worldwide. It considers challenges to liberal democracy through comparisons involving the United States and China, examples of political leadership and media control, and instances of democratic development in Africa and Latin America.
- Liberal democracy and its perceived international standing
- Economic comparisons between the United States and China
- Populist leadership, constitutional integrity, and media independence
- Democratic developments in African countries
- Democratic developments and challenges in Latin America
Excerpt from the Book
‘Is democracy experiencing a setback worldwide?’
The worldwide challenges faced by liberal democracies today are not new. Issues such as agglomerations of power, attacks on independent media, the use of public office for private gain and the politicization of judiciaries were and still are commonplace in South America, China, and Africa. Recently, however, the United States and Europe ‐ considered to be the champions of freedom and democratic values ‐ are themselves experiencing a different sort of challenge to democratic ascendancy. I will argue that the democratic society of the United States is being tested by the success of China’s communist example, and that the actions of populist leaders around the world – for example, in Kenya and Poland – can also be viewed as proof of a declining democracy. The fact that developing and already developed nations are increasingly encountering complications in the advancement of democracy, makes the threat to democracy a global issue. Although, as I shall demonstrate, there has been some democratic advancement in a few African and South American nations, it is nonetheless incontrovertible that democracy is experiencing a setback worldwide.
Perhaps the most important factor in the waning of democratic values is the ubiquitous change in attitude towards the traditional goal for all countries to strive to be liberal democracies. For many years, western, liberal governments, underpinned by their capitalist, free‐market economics, have been regarded as the gold standard of societies across the world. Currently, this viewpoint is experiencing a reform. As countries like the United States begin, in government, media and public discourse, to be invidious of other successful countries rather than vice‐versa, the global view of the superiority of the democratic model starts to deteriorate. America, after suffering consecutive years of comparatively slower economic growth ‐ as for example in 2019, when US GDP growth was 2.33%, a decrease of 0.85% from 2018 1 ‐ began to look covetously at China which in 2019 had a 6.1% growth in Real GDP. 2 A cursory glimpse at recent headlines in the New York Times and other prevalent American publications show how China‐envy is now rife in the USA: ‘America’s Internet Has China Envy’; 3 ‘China’s economy is the envy of the world’; 4 ‘Trump just tried to explain what China will do next in the trade war, and he sounds jealous’.5
Chapter Summary
The essay has no separately titled chapters. It defines its use of liberal democracy, discusses economic and political challenges using international examples, considers democratic developments in Africa and Latin America, and concludes with the author’s assessment of the wider trend.
Keywords
liberal democracy, democratic backsliding, authoritarianism, China, United States, economic growth, populism, media independence, constitutional integrity, misinformation, Africa, Latin America
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the essay about?
It examines whether democracy is experiencing a setback worldwide, focusing on liberal democracies and international political developments.
What are its central themes?
Its themes include the standing of liberal democracy, economic comparisons, populism, media independence, and democratic developments in Africa and Latin America.
What is the main research question?
The essay asks whether democracy is experiencing a setback worldwide.
What method does the author use?
The author develops an argumentative essay using selected country examples, economic figures, news reports, and other published sources. No formal research method or original empirical study is described.
What does the main discussion cover?
It considers perceptions of the United States and China, political and media developments in Kenya and Poland, and examples of democratic change in Africa and Latin America.
Which keywords characterize the essay?
Key terms include liberal democracy, democratic backsliding, authoritarianism, populism, media independence, and misinformation.
Why does the essay compare the United States and China?
It uses their economic performance and political systems to discuss changing perceptions of liberal democracy as a model of government.
How are Kenya and Poland used in the discussion?
The author refers to actions involving television and radio alongside a broader discussion of populist leadership and constitutional integrity.
Does the essay discuss developments outside Europe and the United States?
Yes. It discusses examples from Africa and Latin America, including the Forum for the Restoration of Democracy movement and political developments in Chile, Uruguay, and Costa Rica.
- Quote paper
- Gabriele Suvini (Author), 2022, Is democracy experiencing a setback worldwide?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1316057
