Democracy on the Brink

This chapter examines the alarming decline of global democracy, as evidenced by a record-low Democracy Index, with the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbating the erosion of individual freedoms. It contrasts authoritarian regressions in regions like sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East with democratic advancements in places like Taiwan, while also addressing the fragile state of democracy in America. The chapter underscores the challenges to civil liberties and the necessity for active political engagement to counteract these troubling trends.