Is Post-Democracy Upon Us?
There can be little doubt that out of the array of human interpretations and implementations of systems that would treat the collective equally and as responsible adults deserving to be entrusted with deciding their collective future, democracy stands heads and shoulders above all others. And one can say that for around a century or so, it has served many quite well. And in some cases, continues to do so. More or less.
However, one of the facts unconcealed by modern technology and communication, ie social media and the sort, is that democracy is in retreat. Whether deliberately or by design, democracy is increasingly becoming an outdated system, which is open to manipulation, interference and corruption. Often these threats are committed by the very parties who hail democracy and pose as its protectors, promoters and ultimate saviours.
Among the prerequisites of a functioning democratic system is a media output that holds the truth as its highest standard. The age-long argument against democracy; how can a highly educated professional have one vote, and an illiterate unemployed house-ridden individual, also have one vote? What weight then to education, knowledge, information and experience? The answer is that every individual in society is allowed equal access to sources of knowledge and information from which a reasonable idea is formed and a base to vote reasonably, is established. But what happens when fake news takes hold and becomes the main daily staple for the masses?
Further, can we truly claim to be democratic, when we support and do business with non-democratic states? Indeed, can we claim to be democratic when among those we call our allies, not merely friends, are regimes who have overseen the crushing of democratic movements and actors within their own societies?
One can also list other prerequisites for functioning democracies, such as human rights and freedoms, which are steadily in recession even in countries that claim to be democratic. Take those demonstrators and protestors who stood for the victims of Israel’s genocide in Gaza, for example. Many were fired from their jobs, dismissed from their universities, banned from events and sanctioned in a variety of ways. How democratic can we seriously claim to be, when such sanctions are imposed and free speech is curtailed?
Post-democracy might be a terrifying prospect, but rather we call a spade a spade, than continue to suffer encroaching oppression and subjugation, under the guise of democracy, human rights and justice.
