In China, Russia and the US, populist male leaders with too much testosterone dominate the political landscape with potentially dire consequences. Russia under Putin rots from within (and now seemingly from Salisbury…), China under the new ‘president for life’ Xi aims for world hegemony whilst the US under Trump, with much macho swagger, is unintentionally eviscerated. Never has a stable world order for decades looked so threatened.
Then in Europe populist leaders are triumphing to various extents in Italy, Austria, Hungary and Poland to name but a few countries. Extremists are on the march and clinging on to Merkel and Macron feels like a thin line of defence. The UK sits on the side-lines with its own populist obsession of Brexit. It is starting to look somewhat benign…
Why are we at this point? Commitment to democracy, even in those countries who practice it, is in decline. A recent article in The Times makes grim reading. A fifth of Spanish and Greek citizens apparently believe representative democracy is a bad way of governing, 40% of British millennials no longer think democracy vital and only 30% of American millennials believe it is ‘essential’ to live in a democracy. Trusting the younger generation seems a bit precarious…
Democracy is often taken for granted and its perceived benefits are increasingly doubted. Over-promising, under-achieving politicians, greedy voters and cultural wars fuelled by excessive immigration and disparities in wealth created by globalisation, are the cause. Yet in many respects people have never had it so good.
The solutions? Brave politicians telling it as it is, engagement with younger voters, enforcing the rule of law vigorously in Europe (a key role for the EU here), understanding the cultural impact of high levels of immigration without calling everybody racists and standing up to Xi and Putin in particular on the world stage.
Phew! A huge ask, the detail of which cannot be addressed in a blog. But if we lose our determination to defend democratic principles through open, honest debate and leadership, the strong (mostly) men will win and we will all regret the consequences. Of course, by then, it will be too late even for the young.
Inside Right Politics 