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Can democracy survive now the world’s richest man has it in his sights? | George Monbiot | The Guardian
(www.theguardian.com)
this post was submitted on 02 Nov 2024
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politics
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We never had a democracy. It was just white liberals pretending it was for 250 years.
We have had and continue to have a democracy. It may not be the form of democracy you like but no need to pretend otherwise.
What makes a democracy a democracy?
Free and fair elections, rule of law, stable governmental institutions, individual freedoms, and a free and independent press. Just to give a few academic measures.
Manipulated by advertising, marketing and propaganda paid by the wealthiest contributors to influence the population. Creating an environment where money and wealth get to decide who gets elected.
That can be side stepped, controlled or manipulated by those with wealth and used as a weapon against those with little or no money
That are heavily lobbied, influenced and controlled by those with wealth or corporations and seldom represent the actual will of the people
Which are constantly challenged or questioned by those with power in an effort to control and manipulate everyone into conforming into inequalitable classes of people.
My favorite on this list .... free and independent press which are all owned and controlled by the wealthiest billionaires or corporations who allow their media to speak freely as long as they don't affect their bottom line.
I strongly agree that all of these are under threat or direct attack in the U.S., if that's your point. But these are some of the measures by which academics evaluate whether governments are "democratic" nonetheless. The U.S. in particular was much stronger on these measures twenty years ago than it is today.