Autocracy is rising in the West. But the global south proves it's not inevitable
12 days ago
- #Global Politics
- #Political Reform
- #Democracy vs Autocracy
- Autocrats often fear their people, and democracy is increasingly respected in the global south, showing democracy's defenders are on history's right side.
- In the West, struggling working-class voters turn to the far right out of frustration, requiring pro-democracy parties to address economic issues and reject identity politics to win them back.
- Protests against autocracy occur worldwide, with mixed outcomes; some movements succeed, while others face brutal repression.
- Autocrats use repression or manipulated elections to maintain power, but this lacks legitimacy and often backfires, as seen in cases like Russia and Turkey.
- Autocracies tend to serve elites rather than citizens, with examples like Hungary and Egypt showing misallocation of resources, while China's growth slows due to authoritarian policies.
- Democratic neighbors like Taiwan and South Korea outperform autocracies, highlighting democracy's advantages, despite current Western challenges.