What if the Xis, Putins, Orans, Modis and Bolsanaros of the world are correct in their relentless critique of liberal democracy, of following violently repressive, protectionist or even chauvinistic policies?
Many people in their countries and elsewhere are beginning to believe so, with recent surveys highlighting worrying trends.
The Stockholm-based Institute for Democracy & Electoral Assistance (IDEA) pointed out in a recent survey that for the fifth consecutive year the number of countries moving in an authoritarian direction exceeds the number of countries moving in a democratic direction, now by a factor of three.
The most recent survey of the US’s Pew Research Centre shows that democracy is seen as not delivering. A median of 56% across 17 advanced economies surveyed in 2021 say their political system needs major changes or needs to be completely reformed.
According to an earlier Pew survey, SA was among those countries where almost half the respondents would support “a system in which the military rules the country”. It was before the July 2021 uprisings. A majority of 64% of SA respondents expressed dissatisfaction with the state of our democracy.
Idea raises the concern that the backward slide has been worsened by what threatens to become a “new normal” of Covid-19 restrictions. Moments of crisis such as this pandemic, conflict or severe economic downturns have been fertile ground for the mushrooming of dictatorships and authoritarian states.
Perilously close
What can be done before the turn to illiberal practices or strong-arm tactics becomes the norm in SA? “Without democracy there cannot be peace” is a maxim articulated by Nelson Mandela, and that should be the starting point.
The proceedings of the Zondo commission and its subsequent reports should show us how perilously close we were to our republic becoming a shadow of the constitutional democracy we struggled and fought for.
Events such as the July 2021 uprisings and the burning of parliament, attacks against the judiciary or the continued looting of state coffers should be seen as blows against the constitutional revolution achieved in 1994, carrying the possibility of a backward slide in our democracy.
IDEA proposes a three-pronged agenda for preserving democracy: deliver, build and prevent.
At the core of delivering, it says, is the rebuilding of the social contract between governments and the people, addressing at a minimum “the various inequalities worsened by the Covid-19 pandemic, prioritise corruption eradication”, and mainstreaming environmental concerns.
Resilient democracy
The social contract refers to individuals submitting to the authority of the state, explicitly or tacitly, surrendering some of their freedoms in exchange for protection of their remaining rights and maintenance of the social order. Our constitution best captures that agreement between the state and society.
We need to ask ourselves whether the events of last year and the continuous fears of insurrection represented a threat to our social contract. If so, restoring the social contract requires a process of rebuilding our democracy, a collaborative effort involving not just independent institutions and political parties but also media and civil society.
Building capacity is as important as, and essential for, protecting “electoral integrity, fundamental freedoms and rights, and the checks and balances essential to thriving and resilient democratic systems and trust”, according to IDEA.
As significant as delivering on the social contract and building democracy is putting in place strategies to prevent the reversal of democracy. Strategies that SA society could commit to include democracy education at all levels of schooling, bolstering chapter 9 institutions that ensure accountability, broad participation in policy debates and access to information.
It will be a turbulent ride to the 2024 elections, threatening the sanctity of our democratic republic. Let’s not, in the coming years, regret our passivity or even cowardice in the face of attacks on our democracy. Defending our democracy should now be everyone’s struggle.
• Abba Omar is director of operations at the Mapungubwe Institute.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.