Basically, are democracies best equipped to deal with the increasingly complex challenges of the globalized world? Europe is bogged down in deep economic crises and the US government is gridlock. China's new leadership rejects democratic reform while the country's economy continues to grow. In the Middle East, the hope of freedom, democracy and prosperity promised by the Arab Spring is beginning to look tarnished. Why is democracy failing so badly to support economic prosperity?
Is autocracy more effective in a crisis? The World Debate in Davos asks: Is Democracy Winning?
During the debate the recipe for a democracy to win was loud and clear: -
- That the government has to respond to the calls of the street (that is there has to be a two-way relationship between the citizens and their elective leader)
- That the democracy should not be about just a ballot box but it should be sustainable and aligned together with accountability and the rights of the citizens.
- That it should bring complementarity between men and women (and not just equality) etc...
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, Mr. DAVUTOGLU Ahmet said that democracy is a historical process, and just like the cold war ended in Europe so will the uprising democratic civil war end in Africa.
In response to whether democracy is winning the answer was a strong YES by Thomas Friedman, columnist, foreign affairs - The New York Times. He then divided democracy into two parts i.e. the hardware part and the software part. The hardware part basically entailed self-determination through the right to vote, and proper constitutional reform. The software had with it, free press and media, free commerce, an independent judiciary and more importantly a healthy opposition; democracy is only as healthy as its active opposition, checked by free press, and inclusion of an independent judiciary. Unless and until a strong leadership is there in the opposition to check the growth, democracy is not happening.
The discussion heated up when a question was asked if Islam as a religion is a threat to Democracy. The Turkish minister clarified that none of the faith is a threat. He ensured that Islam is a religion that allows democracy to grow as it is based on the dignity and collective rationalism. He also stated that the question of whether Islam is a threat to democracy or not is confusion and is coming from the orientalist mindset. He added again that unlike religion a party is prone to mistakes hence its dangerous in identifying a party to a religion since in so doing the mistakes it makes can be mistaken to its religion!
The discussion also brought in some statements that the question of asking whether democracy is winning or not is secondary – the primary thing to do is to understand democracy as a way to respect human dignity. Democracy is about sustainability of democracy, it's about trust by the people, and it's about accountability.
Discussing about the state of the Arab Spring, Thomas Friedman also stated, as also mentioned in one of his articles in the New York Times December 11, 2012 –
“Whenever anyone asked me what I saw in Tahrir Square during that original revolution, I told them I saw a tiger that had been living in a 5-by-8 cage for 60 years get released. And there are three things I can tell you about the tiger:
1) Tiger is never going back in that cage;
2) Do not try to ride tiger for your own narrow purposes or party because this tiger only serves Egypt as a whole;
3) Tiger only eats beef. He has been fed every dog food lie in the Arabic language for 60 years, so don't try doing it again. First, the Egyptian Army underestimated the tiger, and tried to get it back in the cage”
Others in the discussion were confident that the Tiger would not go back to cage, however they suggested that for that to happen, democracy should function by respecting the dignity of the citizens.
The columnist also added that there's negative freedom and positive freedom i.e. 'freedom from’ and ‘freedom to’! The Arab spring was about freedom from oppression now we onto freedom to? Freedom to do what is the question: Freedom to be citizens, freedom to do many things, freedom to be sectarian etc. Hence security and economic growth has to be reflected in democracy and so as religion for that matter.
Questions about why democracy is struggling in Greece – the birthplace of democracy, and in India where democracy exist only when election comes, need to be addressed separately. At the same time, there was a consensus that we are at a stage where democracy is at its initial stage and we need to improve so as for it to win – the only way for democracy to win is to make the whole process inclusive by giving respect to the citizens. Democracy is in trouble because of the rise of extremism and collapse of state power and taking over of political parties that have no regard whatsoever on democracy
OUR TAKE
First of all yes, the tiger is not going back to the cage. Democracy is unstoppable as people have lost their fear, and everyone is tending towards a two-way communication and relationship with his/her government. Secondly, for democracy to prosper TRUST is a fundamental principle i.e. for example as an elective leader is voted in based on his promises and manifestos, he or she is to adhere to them lest the whole notion of democracy will be breached. Again election alone is not sufficient as in some cases it can be used as a tool of oppression by the majority to the minority in terms of misrepresentation and participation e.g. racially, tribalically, religiously etc. Hence democracy shouldn’t be put as an ideology but put into aspects to fit into good governance. We believe democracy is subjective with different countries and hence if put as a universal ideology it can disregard religious values, cultural values, traditions and various civilizations which could end up being undemocratic. Winston Churchill also warned us that as much as democracy is the best form of governance it could also be the worst form of governance. All in all yes democracy is winning.
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