The World Economic Forum continues to bash democracy as being rejected by developed nations, in particular in the U.S. and Brazil where citizens are generally the most anti-technocratic. By comparison, Denmark, Switzerland and Norway are elevated as wonderful democratic states, which are already operating as Technocratic states. Expect a continuing propaganda push to bash democracy while leaving the door wide open for the only solution offered: Sustainable Development, aka Technocracy. ⁃ TN Editor
Dissatisfaction with democracy is at its highest since records began.
United States and Brazil show the highest levels of dissatisfaction.
Small, high-income nations eg. Luxembourg, Denmark have lowest levels.
Dissatisfaction often linked to economic shocks and scandals.
Dissatisfaction with democracy in developed nations is at a record high
Since 1995, the University of Cambridge’s Centre for the Future of Democracy has gauged people’s views on democracy. Their most recent report, spanning 154 nations, reveals some of the highest levels of discontent since records began.
“We find that dissatisfaction with democracy has risen over time and is reaching an all-time global high, in particular in developed countries,” said the report’s author, Dr Roberto Foa.
Global democratic malaise
In the mid-nineties, countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Australia seemed to be relatively satisfied with their democracies. Since then, the proportion of people expressing dissatisfaction has risen from 47.9% to 57.5%.
Some of the world’s largest democratic countries, such as the United States and Brazil, are experiencing the highest levels of dissatisfaction, with Mexico, Australia and the United Kingdom seeing their highest level of dissatisfaction on record. Japan, Greece and Spain are also inching closer to all-time highs.
‘Islands of contentment’
However, not all hope is lost. People in some countries – primarily small, high-income democracies like Denmark, Switzerland and Norway – are showing great confidence in their democratic institutions.
These countries form part of the so-called “Island of Contentment” – a small subset of nations, accounting for just 2% of the world’s population, where less than a quarter of the citizenry express dissatisfaction with democracy.
Shock and awe
While the report demonstrates a marked increase in dissatisfaction, it doesn’t conclude why. However, 25 years of data does point to a correlation between levels of dissatisfaction and large-scale events such as economic shocks and political scandals.
We need to define “democracy” before we begin to believe anything about its decline or uptick in satisfaction. I would not call what the US portrays as democracy such, especially today in the corporate government.
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We need to define “democracy” before we begin to believe anything about its decline or uptick in satisfaction. I would not call what the US portrays as democracy such, especially today in the corporate government.