Democracy is vulnerable
Many people take democracy for granted, but democracy is rather vulnerable. Several countries in the world are moving from democracy towards a more authoritarian and dictatorial rule. Are there other ways to achieve fair rule than democracy as we know it today?
Is democracy about to fall?
Several democracies have been shaken in the last decade due to dissatisfaction with the political governance. There have been economic crises and we have seen political leaders who want to return to autocracy. Autocracy is a form of government in which most of the political power is concentrated in the hands of an individual or a small group.
Not enough support
Support for democracy is at its lowest since World War II, especially in the Western world. This means that many citizens do not get involved in political elections, and do not exercise their right to vote. If things continue like this, only half of the inhabitants of the West will vote in elections in five years’ time.
How will we be ruled?
Is democracy disappearing – and if so, what will replace it? Will there be dictatorships like the ones we know from the beginning of the last century, or is it artificial intelligence that will rule us in the future?
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En mann styrer mange mennesker med tråder.
Have we learned anything from history?
Much of what happens in the world has already happened before, but do we really learn anything from history? Most people probably want to live safely and be involved in deciding about their own lives. So why do so many people experience the exact opposite?
Different forms of government
Democracy differs from other forms of government such as dictatorship, anarchy and meritocracy. Democracy has more often been the exception than the rule. Countries and areas have often been ruled by oligarchs, despots and dictators.
Dictators and oligarchs
A dictatorship is often ruled by one person, such as the dictator Adolf Hitler in Germany during World War II. Most people did not have any right to decide how the country was governed. A dictatorship can also be ruled by oligarchs, in which case there is a group of people who are in power. Many of these heads of state were and still are despots – brutal and violent leaders.
Anarchy and meritocracy
Anarchy is a form of government where no one holds any superior power. Society is governed through cooperation and a desire for free will. In a meritocracy, those with special abilities and skills are put in charge. This form of government is very rare.
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En overdimensjonert rød mann ser ned på en stor folkemengde.
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