Democracy is retreating worldwide. As Freedom House reports, the US has not escaped this trend. The system of checks and balances of American democracy managed to thwart Trump’s assault on democracy. ...But together with longstanding institutional and structural defects, his presidency clearly indicates that American democracy is on the verge of political decay. Political polarisation, inequalities, identity politics and the inability of the two political parties to reach compromises are further testing the American democratic institutions. To avert decay, the US needs a reform coalition to bring about institutional changes; and more importantly, to establish inclusive economic policies and a renewed focus on citizenship, duty and a shared purpose.
It's a commonplace that citizens in Western democracies are disaffected with their political leaders and traditional democratic institutions. But in Democratic Legitimacy, Pierre Rosanvallon, one of ...today's leading political thinkers, argues that this crisis of confidence is partly a crisis of understanding. He makes the case that the sources of democratic legitimacy have shifted and multiplied over the past thirty years and that we need to comprehend and make better use of these new sources of legitimacy in order to strengthen our political self-belief and commitment to democracy.
The world's largest democracy is found in India. Public trust in government is the foundation of democratic governments. A truly democratic society is facilitated by the accessibility of information ...in the public sphere. Information sharing between the government and the general public encourages public discourse. It aids in educating the populace about a transparent and responsible public sphere. According to social scientists, public involvement is essential for participatory development in a democracy. RTI is a key tool for empowering citizens in this context. In all areas of public life, including political, administrative, development, and economic issues, it has been used by citizens. It is rightfully putting pressure on the decision-maker to follow the principles of public welfare.In the history of Indian democracy, the Right to Information Act of 2005 is a landmark law. On June 15, 2005, the Parliament approved the law, which became operative on October 12, 2005. "The Act aims to encourage accountability and transparency. According to the law, public authorities are required to give citizens the information they request. The Official Secrets Act, passed in 1889 and amended in 1923, previously restricted the release of information; it has since been replaced by the RTI Act, 2005.This research paper tries to focus on the Background, Need for the RTI Act,Objectives of the RTI Act, Major provisions of the RTI Act, the Latest Amendment in the RTI Act, Major Drawbacks and Difficulties in the implementation of this law, and finally How the right to information can be made effective so that democracy can be protected and the rights of the people can be provided, for this some suggestions have also been given regarding strengthening the right to information.
Polarization is a totalizing political tool. While the us versus them division has long fueled political competition, polarization is taking systemic struggle to the next level. Polarization divides ...the political landscape into two camps, where a compromise can only be found within a given group. The political scene in 21st century Europe is polarized. However, how does this situation affect European values and democratic principles of the rule of law, which protect the stability of democratic systems? Is a polarized state a place where citizens can fully enjoy the benefits of democracy? Can a polarized society reconcile political conflict with democratic values? The article analyzes the phenomenon of political polarization in theoretical terms related to the democratic principles, both classical and those of the contemporary liberal democracies. At the same time, using the example of Poland and other countries, the effects of polarizing actions and their impact on the internal political scene and the social situation are shown.
Across the transatlantic area and, indeed, across the democratic world, democracy is under strain from domestic and external factors, while throughout the world, authoritarian and totalitarian forces ...continue to quash people’s desire for freedom and human dignity. In this context, this article takes stock of the ongoing challenges, and argues for a renewed transatlantic agenda that returns to the spirit of President Ronald Reagan’s 1982 Westminster Speech. It should achieve this by developing an ambitious programme that defends democracy within the transatlantic area and supports people’s desire for freedom globally, while avoiding the dogmatic approaches and ossification that have characterised democracy promotion over the past two decades.
The authors are representatives of EDUC 308/608: Democracy and Education. This advanced seminar in social foundations of education studied the relationship between democracy and educational ...practices, with an emphasis on practicing democracy while engaging in deep study. This course is an upper-level offering in the Education Department at Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.
The New Line Garrido, Marco
Contexts (Berkeley, Calif.),
05/2021, Volume:
20, Issue:
2
Journal Article
This essay highlights democracy in the Philippines and how the Trump administration may have accelerated disenchantment with American democracy for Filipinos.
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