Democracy Index
Credit: Economist Intelligence Unit
Every year, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), the research arm of the company that publishes the Economist magazine, issues a report assessing the state of democracy in countries around the world. This year’s report, released on Wednesday morning, has a striking finding: The United States has, for the first time, been rated as a “flawed” rather than “full” democracy.
You’d think, given the timing, that the election of Donald Trump is the reason why. But that’s not it. The report is based on a quantitative metric, linked to survey data and policy, that doesn’t incorporate the election results.
“The decline in the US democracy score reflects an erosion of confidence in government and public institutions over many years,” the report states. “[Trump’s] candidacy was not the cause of the deterioration in trust but rather a consequence of it.”
This report isn’t just a bunch of liberals hyperventilating about Trump, then. It’s one piece of evidence that something deeper is going wrong in American democracy.
What the […]
I must admit that I have always been confused when the United States is categorized as a democracy when clearly it is a republic which does not directly elect its president and vice president. I would also point out that the Economist is owned in large part by Rothschild and Agnelli families- i.e. the world financial elite. Despite these glaring problems..the thrust of the article remains interesting.
Correction: when Madison described the proposed new government as a republic, the term “representative democracy” did not exist. It was first coined by a Frenchman describing the new country and translated into English by Jefferson himself. Madison defined a republic as “a government by representatives elected by the people.” No European democracy is different in that respect. One way to confuse right wingers who call us a republic not a democracy is to ask them to define a republic. When they can’t give ’em Madison’s definition.
However I in no way quibble with the Economist demoting us to a flawed democracy. I would go farther and call us an endangered one.
I believe with DJT et al we’ve closing in on a pressure point that’s the cause of the growing resistance. The Women’s March, the day before yesterday more than 1000 in a circle dance in front of the WH to protest pipelines. Last night, thousands in Columbus Sq to protest Muslim Registry. The downward spiral, the darkness was the Zen whack on the side of the head needed to revitalize the spirit. As an activist, I’m receiving and reading about more and more groups joining in unity for life affirming change. In fact, I haven’t felt this much energy for decades.
May it be so.