Why did the quality of democracy decrease worldwide during the last decade?

ESSAY

Why did the quality of democracy decrease worldwide during the last
decade?
Democracy can be characterised as a core concept which highlights upon the
authority, security and liberty of universal citizens. It is a value which facilitate the promotion
of human rights, dignity, equality and fairness among the global citizens. Democracy is a
right wherein individuals are provided with an opportunity to participate and showcase their
power by electing their respective representative or candidate through the process of
elections. In democracy, citizens are facilitated with the rights to vote for their most suitable
candidate and become an active part in forming the government (Stasavage, 2020). In the last
decade, democracy has faced major threats in all across the globe. The respective essay is
going to highly upon the several causes behind the degradation in quality of democracy over
the last decade. It will discuss the potential factors which have impacted upon the democratic
freedom of global citizens worldwide in an adverse mannerism.
There have been diverse set of implications that have contributed significantly in
hindering the democratic rights of people around the world. In the present day, it can be said
that democracy is in danger as its sole purpose which was to facilitate fair, justified and equal
opportunity to every individual to become the part of decision-making process when it comes
to participating in elections has been scrutinised through a deliberate attempt. The idea of
democracy was to provide individuals with the fair chance to become the part of framing the
government. The concept of democracy was to allow the citizens to possess control and their
fair share of involvement in framing the power that lead the nation so that no discriminatory
practice or inequality persists within the political stature.
As per the statistics of freedom in the country, it can be stated that the nations which
majorly got implicated through democratic crisis are high in comparison to the ones that are
democratically stable (Freedom in the world, 2021). For instance, Turkey can be a set
example to showcase the decline of democratic rule and acceleration of authoritative power.
It was a nation which was expected to flourish, however was demonised through the
democratic crisis in the last few years which lead to a major set back for the concerned nation
(The Decline and Fall of Turkish Democracy, 2017). There are several reasons for the decline
of democracy and in order to analyse causes for the set back faced by democracy, it is
necessary to study the potential triggers behind the same in an appropriate manner. This, in

turn can assist to ascertain the possible reasons which has led to the failure of democracy in
the last decade. The inability of political leaders to adapt to the modern day context and lead
their nations as per the constant reforms and evolutions has been a potential reason behind
several nations facing democratic crisis over the past years.
In addition to this, it can be stated that the growing economic inequality across several
regions in the world has been also a contributing factor which has led to the democratic
constraints in a severe manner. It has been evident that individuals with money possess a
potential power over the economic as well as political environment in the present day
context. Money plays a major role in regulating the political scenario all around the world.
There are situations wherein economic inequality leads to injustice and inequality which in
turn hampers the established democratic criterions adversely. Lobbying in politics is one of
the major issues which has been seen by individuals in the last decade (Chari, et.al, 2020).
Political lobbying results in destabilisation of democratic environment as well.
The growing economic inequality significantly leads to the acceleration of existing
radicalism within the society as well. The money influences the media as well as have certain
dominance and control over the news and controversies which comes into the limelight.
Radicalism can be defined as the ability of people in power to control what comes in the
public domain by exercising their political power or utilising their monetary considerations in
a false manner.
The past decade has been tremendously affected by the higher standards of radicalism
persisting in the environment. The fact that political leaders influences the innocent public by
reforming and revising the content which is generated for the public domain as per their own
selfish motives and requirements can be stated as a deliberate attempt made by the same to
distract the citizens from the existing concerns of the society. It can be said that positioning
of media is a major constituent when it comes to framing the mindsets of the global citizens
as they tend to believe and get highly influenced through the news outbreaks delivered by
media (Kidd, 2020). It somehow manipulates their thinking process as well shape their
opinions about a certain political situation or circumstance. In this manner, the democracy is
demonised to an extent wherein citizens are influenced ferociously and their focus shifts
towards unnecessary conflicts and dilemma. Therefore, it is right to state that the increasing
radicalism has been a severe reason which has led to the weakening of democracy.
The internal conflict and malign agendas of countries are also one of the reasons
which can be blamed for the decline of democracy. For example, an autocratic country like
China has faced major backlash from several parts of the world for its insincere and