Up until the 19th Century, "democracy" was a dirty word. It meant the direct rule of the mob. It was synonymous with anarchyA situation in which there are no rulers. The term can be used to describe complete political chaos or mob rule, but those who call themselves anarchists generally believe in mutual aid and cooperation, not a war of all-against-all..

Today, all that has changed. Democracy is seen as the gold standardA system in which the value of a currency is made equivalent to a certain value of gold. Gold's value does not change very much, so currencies on a gold standard usually experience little inflation; however, they can cause deflation by limiting the amount of money in the economy. of government.

After the collapse of the Soviet UnionOfficially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). A powerful group of communist republics, the biggest being Russia, that existed from 1922 to 1991. in 1991, many thinkers confidently proclaimed that the 21st Century would be the democratic century. Russia had started voting for its leaders. China was opening up, allowing more personal freedoms.

Political theorist Francis FukuyamaAn American political scientist best known for his argument that the whole world will one day embrace liberal democracy. even argued that all states would now move gradually towards liberal and representative systems.¹

In 2024, this looks very naive. Russia and China are more authoritarianEnforcing strict obedience to authority. than ever. Just on Sunday night, Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro was accused of rigging a national election to win another term in power. And now some say the world's most powerful state, the USA, seems to be heading in the same direction.

Last week Donald Trump told a crowd of supporters that if they vote in this election, "you won't have to vote any more".²

That came shortly after social media was rocked by a clip of his vice-presidential pick, JD Vance, arguing that parents should have more votes than the childless. This would break with the longstanding democratic tradition of "one person, one vote".

And for some time Democrats have been sounding the alarm about Project 2025A possible agenda for a new Donald Trump presidency drawn up by conservative think tank Heritage Foundation. , a plan drawn up by the conservative organisation the Heritage Foundation, which has links with Vance.

Under the initiative, a Republican PartyAlso known as the Grand Old Party or GOP, it is one of the USA's two major political parties. Its first president was Abraham Lincoln. It sits on the right of the political spectrum. president would purge the civil serviceThe civil service helps the government to develop and carry out policies. Civil servants are non-political, remaining in place when political parties enter and leave office. and fill it with conservative Christians, use the military for domestic policing, and centralise power in the president.

Taken together, critics think this amounts to a vision of a Christian nationalistThe idea that a country is defined by Christianity, and that the government should make laws to keep the nation that way. Often spoke about in context of the USA. dictatorship in the USA. It would be the end of American liberal democracy.

So why does autocracyA society ruled by a single person or group with absolute power. seem to be outcompeting democracy?

Some argue it is because dictatorships have become more sophisticated. In the past they had to maintain their rule through fear alone.

But today dictators sit at the heart of intricate networks of money and media. They can control what information reaches their people on social media, shaping how they think. And they can flood the western world with their propagandaInformation, which may be biased or misleading, used to promote a certain viewpoint. to undermine democratic systems.³

But others say this outcome was always baked into modern democracy. They say it all dates back to 1819, when a Swiss-French thinker named Benjamin ConstantA Swiss political thinker and republican, born in 1767. laid out a theory of modern democracy.⁴

In the ancient world, he said, freedom meant making our own laws by voting and participating in political life. But in the modern day, it means being left alone by the government, protected from its power by firm rights.

Voting was less important. You could even theoretically be free under a dictator if they respected your rights.

Yet that is what dictators say to their people today: stay out of politics and we will leave you to get on with your life.

So it is little surprise democracies are crumbling, some suggest, when we have already sacrificed our historic right to make our own laws in favour of a quiet life.

Is democracy dying?

Yes: As crisis engulfs the world, people will keep looking to strongmen to save them. Autocracies like China and Russia are in the ascendant. American democracy is teetering on the brink.

No: People around the world still want to live in democracies, including in Venezuela, China, and Russia. Their dictators will not be able to keep the lid on that pressure forever. The future is still free.

Or... Autocracies are not more successful than democracies, but they are more self-confident. If democracies want to survive they have to find their optimism again.

FOR YOUR SUMMER READING CHALLENGE CLUE GO TO STEP SIX IN THE SIX STEPS TO DISCOVERY BELOW.

Anarchy - A situation in which there are no rulers. The term can be used to describe complete political chaos or mob rule, but those who call themselves anarchists generally believe in mutual aid and cooperation, not a war of all-against-all.

Gold standard - A system in which the value of a currency is made equivalent to a certain value of gold. Gold's value does not change very much, so currencies on a gold standard usually experience little inflation; however, they can cause deflation by limiting the amount of money in the economy.

Soviet Union - Officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). A powerful group of communist republics, the biggest being Russia, that existed from 1922 to 1991.

Francis Fukuyama - An American political scientist best known for his argument that the whole world will one day embrace liberal democracy.

Authoritarian - Enforcing strict obedience to authority.

Project 2025 - A possible agenda for a new Donald Trump presidency drawn up by conservative think tank Heritage Foundation.

Republican Party - Also known as the Grand Old Party or GOP, it is one of the USA's two major political parties. Its first president was Abraham Lincoln. It sits on the right of the political spectrum.

Civil service - The civil service helps the government to develop and carry out policies. Civil servants are non-political, remaining in place when political parties enter and leave office.

Christian nationalist - The idea that a country is defined by Christianity, and that the government should make laws to keep the nation that way. Often spoke about in context of the USA.

Autocracy - A society ruled by a single person or group with absolute power.

Propaganda - Information, which may be biased or misleading, used to promote a certain viewpoint.

Benjamin Constant - A Swiss political thinker and republican, born in 1767.