Prof. Dr. Sir H. O. Srivastava, IBS, K. St. J
M.Sc. M.Phil, Ph. D. (Info Sys.), Ph. D. (Chemistry), D. Lit. (Management), Chancellor WDF University

Date: October, 16, 2023:Has democracy failed world over?

Democracies worldwide are currently facing significant challenges. There is a growing trend of lawlessness, with frequent occurrences of protests, demonstrations, and strikes being used as tools to pressure governments into providing free services such as electricity, water, and stipends, more often without due consideration for the long-term consequences on the country. While political activism, social movements, and labour strikes are inherent features of democracies, their excessive frequency and intensity indeed has adverse effects on a nation’s development.

A recent opinion poll conducted across 19 predominantly Western democracies, including countries like Sweden, Singapore, Germany, and the United States, revealed a concerning trend. Approximately half of the respondents expressed dissatisfaction with the functioning of democracy in their respective countries. This dissatisfaction was particularly pronounced in Spain, where about 68% of respondents were dissatisfied, and in the United States, often seen as a leader among democratic nations, where 62% expressed discontent (Source: PEW RESEARCH CENTER, DECEMBER 5, 2022).

This situation raises important questions: What is amiss in our democracies? Is it the people, the leaders, the outcomes, the processes, or a combination of all these factors? It is evident that something is seriously awry, and a critical examination of our democratic systems is warranted to identify and address the root causes of these challenges.

What are the the main reasons for the failure of the democracies? In the coming series, I would discuss as to who are responsible for the failure; the people, the leaders, the judiciary, the media, the laws, hunger for money or all of these? I would like the readers to ponder and place their opinion.