Reassessing Democracy: The Quest for a Just Society

The landscape of political governance is undergoing significant disruption, moving away from a consensus around liberal market democracy that once seemed dominant. The rise of illiberal democracies, exemplified by regimes like Viktor Orban's Hungary and Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Turkey, reveals a troubling trend where democratic structures exist without genuine democratic function. In contrast, other nations, including Russia and China, present more overtly autocratic models, while various corrupt regimes complicate the situation further. Amidst these challenges, there is a pressing need to engage in an intellectual debate about the foundational questions of societal organization and justice. This moment reflects a critical inflection point for liberal democracy, questioning the viability of neoliberal principles that have dominated since the late 20th century, and exposing a significant ideological vacuum that progressives have failed to fill with coherent alternatives. The urgency to redefine a just society is underscored as societies grapple with the implications and failures of existing ideologies.