Is the world losing faith in democracy?

Jan 5, 2024

The podcast explores the state of democracy worldwide and the upcoming significant election year in 2024. It discusses concerns with democracy in South Africa, India, and the US, and the rise of alternative political leaders. The chapter emphasizes the importance of pluralism, equal protection under the law, and the treatment of minorities in the evolution of democracy. It also explores the variation in institutional resilience across different countries and the threats to democracy from internal and external forces. The fragility of American democracy is examined, including Trump's refusal to concede defeat and the loss of faith in democracy among some Americans. The speakers discuss alternatives to democracy and the need for clarity in its definition.

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Introduction

00:00 • 2min

The Disillusionment with Democracy

02:04 • 5min

The Evolution of Democracy

07:14 • 6min

Institutional Resilience and the Threat to Democracy

13:09 • 17min

Democracy and Military Coups in the Sahel Region

30:36 • 8min

Fragility of American Democracy

38:59 • 6min

The Alternatives to Democracy

45:02 • 5min

2024 will be the world’s biggest election year ever. From the United States to the UK, Taiwan to India, South Africa to Mexico, it’s estimated countries representing nearly half the world’s population will head to the polls in some form of election this year. But how much faith do people around the world still have in democracy?

In South Africa this year’s election will be a defining one. 40 years since a post-Apartheid electorate voted in Nelson Mandela, the nation is dogged by corruption and voter apathy with less than half expected to turn out. So are South Africans seeking an alternative to democracy and what might that be?

Meanwhile in India there are some concerns the world’s largest democracy is slipping into authoritarianism. Prime Minister Modi is a key player on the global stage with grand ambitions for India, but his premiership has been dogged by allegations of an anti-Muslim stance. So what does his continued popularity reveal about the state of democracy in a nation where over a billion people are eligible to vote in the general election?

In some Western nations too, there is a palpable dissatisfaction with democracy. In the US, former President Trump’s refusal to accept the 2020 election result led to the deadly attack on Congress – a sign for current leader Joe Biden that democracy is under threat, not just abroad but at home too.

So as we enter a record-breaking year for elections, is democracy itself on the line?

Shaun Ley is joined by:

Ziyanda Stuurman, senior analyst for Africa at the Eurasia Group think-tank. Debasish Roy Chowdhury is a journalist and co-author of the book 'To Kill A Democracy: India's Passage To Despotism'.

Lilliana Mason is associate professor of political science at Johns Hopkins University and author of " Uncivil Agreement: How Politics Became Our Identity".

Also featuring:

Professor Steven Levitzsky from Harvard University in the US and author of 'How Democracies Die' Ben Ansell, Professor of Comparative Democratic Institutions at Nuffield College, Oxford University

Photo: Pro-Trump protesters wave banners outside the Capitol, Washington, January 6, 2021 Credit: REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton

Produced by Pandita Lorenz and Max Horberry