• M.K.George S J

Ever since humans started living in common, there have been various forms of governance. The primary classification has been democratic, non-democratic and other types. In the democratic type, there have been direct democracy, representative democracy (republic government, parliamentary government), and constitutional democracy. In the non-democratic types, we have seen authoritarian, totalitarian, oligarchy, technocracy, theocracy, dictatorship, and absolute monarchy. Among other types, we have the experience of communist, colonialist and aristocratic governance.

A critical review of history shows that despite all its weaknesses, a well-run democracy remains the most humane form of government. The reasons are obvious. Democracy values the power of the people. The people elect their rulers. Hence, the government remains accountable to the people. The quality of decision making and, dealing with differences and conflict are uniquely more humane in democracy. Most important, democracy enhances the dignity of citizens.

Decline in Democracy
Despite the fact that Democracy still remains the most humane form of governance, over the last few decades we have been observing a growing decline of democracies. The 2020 report of the Varieties of Democracy Institute found that the global share of democracies declined from 54 per cent in 2009 to 49 percent in 2019, and that a greater share of the global population lived in autocratizing countries. What was six percent in 2009 became 34 percent in 2019.

The 2023 edition of Freedom in the world report reported the following key findings; ‘Global freedom declined for the 17th consecutive year. The struggle for democracy may be approaching a turning point. Infringement on freedom of expression has long been a key driver of global democratic decline.’

The case of United States
According to a poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, only 16 percent of Americans say democracy is working well or extremely well; 45 percent think democracy isn’t functioning properly, while another 38% say it’s working only somewhat well.(5 Dec 2021). But probably the worst harm to the democratic traditions the US came from the period of President Trump, especially during the last election and victory of Biden.

‘Throughout his tenure, Donald Trump questioned the legitimacy of democratic institutions, from the free press to the federal judiciary and the electoral process itself. In surveys conducted between 2016 and 2019, more than half of Americans said Trump had little or no respect for the nation’s democratic institutions and traditions, though these views, too, split sharply along partisan lines.’ (PEW Research Centre 2021)

Still, observers say that if the election to the US President is done now, the likelihood of Trump coming hack is higher than that of anybody else. That alone is indication of the future of democracy in the U.S.

Indonesia
A recent article on Indonesia, the fourth populous country in the world was titled, ‘In Indonesia, democracy is under siege.’ The author (Gordon Laforge) said , ‘ what is happening in Indonesia is emblematic of a dispiriting global trend in which countries that once championed liberal democracy are allowing it to wither , such as India under Narendra Modi and Trump-era America. Democracy is not dying suddenly or in darkness, but gradually and right before our eyes, as elites weaken democratic norms and institutions for the sake of political expedience while completely forgetful citizens look on’.

The challenge to the ‘forgetful citizens’
Are the majority of citizens, forgetful as Laforge calls them, or are they fearful? I have the feeling that more correctly the citizens are afraid. And they have every reason to be afraid of. Let us look at the autocratic world. Every autocratic leader seems to be adept at incarcerating anyone who challenges them or calls out the truth. The crudest and most recent example seems to be that of Alexei Navalny, a critic of Putin. A recent report said, ‘ Alexei Navalny is dead. After many years of being the significant voice leading political opposition to Vladimir Putin, the state finally took its revenge…Although to date there has been no comment from the Kremlin, there was a widespread view that the blame for his death lay directly with Putin.’ (Chris McDonnel in La Croix International).

Every other country that is declining in democracy has its list of prisoners. India has the late Stan Swamy in the list. So too, are the names of men and women like the murdered journalist Gauri Lankesh, the seven journalists presently jailed , Human Rights Activists like Rona Wilson, Sudha Bhardwaj, Arun Fereira, Gautam Navlakha, Vernon Gonsalves or whistle blowers like Sanjiv Bhat or social activists like Harsh Mander or the number of environmental activists arrested. The threat of harassment and the experience of men and women listed make every citizen afraid.

The challenge for every citizen
To challenge the declining democracy and the growing autocratic tendencies of leaders, ordinary citizens need to acquire the courage to speak up. The words of Martin Luther King may inspire those who are afraid: ‘He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it.”
When leaders fail to protect Democracy and people, it is the moral duty of the ordinary citizen to speak up. Will we have the courage?