Since World War II, the world has witnessed that democratic governance flourished and expanded the stretch all around the globe.
Now, this process has stopped, the latest example is the fall of Donald Trump from the Oval office.
This democratization is even reversing in many countries of the West; I-e the first world countries.
The reversal can be seen in third world countries as well. The liberal idea of democracy is not in the seller’s seat and it is dying its death.
It has come into conflict with the interests of the overwhelming majority and response of the population I-e Right-Wing Populism (RWP).
Thrust appears to be with the populist, particularly with the right-wing populist. RWP appears to be the alternative that is a strong candidate to replace the democratic governance system.
Democracy gave birth to RWP automatically when it was born.
This raises serious concerns about the current status and future prospects of democracy.
Right-wing populism challenges the basic concepts of the liberal democracy, including its emphasis on public policy, the rule of law, and individual and minority rights depending upon the religion as a whole and individual.
The decision-making, public policing, rule of law, and rights of every citizen is the core idea of democracy; or I would say “liberal democracy”.
The rise of right-wing populism (RWP) is not the result of tumbling circumstances around the globe, such as economic recession, income inequality, or migration from areas of poverty to developed countries, the political turmoil, or COVID-19 pandemic nor can it be regarded as a retreat in the step toward ever-greater democratization.
The list of test cases for the debate is never-ending and increasing. We are living in a theatre whose headquarters are in Brussels and the main actor refuses to act there, rather than in London.
The choosing of Right-Wing Populism in the form of Joe Biden over outspoken Donald Trump is the democracy’s final act.
The yellow vests in France is another anti-thesis. The illiberal policies of Presidents Erdogan and Orban in Turkey and Hungary build up a dying case of liberal democracy in the hands of right-wing populism.
When Macron won against Marine Le Pen in the French elections and Mark Rutte defeated his opponent Geert Wilders in the Dutch polls in a short span of few months during 2017, many social scientists were asking that are populism’s days sealed?
In the likes of Narendra Modi in India, who won the second term with the heavier majority, and Viktor Orban in Hungary the answer to this question is simple; a straight NO.
But the process of evolution has started and many political scientists are of the point that liberal democracy will die in the hands of populism, i-e RWP.
It is probably the case in the US election of 2020. People were not reading as a “vote for Biden”, but as a strong “vote against Trump”. This is what political scientists refer to as “negative partisanship”.
This is the concept that you vote against candidates and parties. People voted against Trump but not in favor of Joe Biden. Trump is such a detestable figure that many people probably held their noses and voted for Biden as there was no other realistic choice if they wanted to save the country.
Now that Biden will take office, those people will probably stop holding their noses.
A relatable case is of a third-world country i-e Pakistan. Did people vote for Imran Khan? Or the voters were so fed up with the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League N (PMLN); the two main conventional political parties.
Are the voters are literate enough to understand the concept of departing someone from power corridors on basis of political concepts and performances? Or it is the shocking adoration of unseen powers that tumble the power corridors in third world countries?
Populism is a democratic reaction to the failures, corruption, and cowardliness of the traditional political class.
The crisis is how positive populists can shape and inform the future of a healthy political culture.
The test cases are not crazy but angry and still searching. The right is certainly determined and also has a solid base of support.
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We have witnessed it in form of Trump, Imran Khan, and Orban’s for picking unnecessary fights.
Trump lost the election. Other leaders on this path can predict their future accordingly. This grabs headlines, enrages, and offends, but this does not solve problems but it is a tactic.