At a moment when societies across the world are becoming more polarized and less trusting in the democratic process to address their needs, authoritarianism appears to be gaining in popularity among young and old alike. Yet even authoritarian regimes still seek legitimacy via the ballot box, making the meaning of “democracy” more contested than ever.
On this International Day of Democracy, we reflect on democracy’s inherent value, try to understand why faith in self-rule is waning, and consider what we can do to strengthen the cause. For these reasons, we share the following milestone essays from the Journal of Democracy.
What Democracy Is . . . and Is Not
Democracy is the word that resonates in people’s minds and springs from their lips as they struggle for freedom and a better way of life; it is the word whose meaning we must discern if it is to be of any use in guiding political analysis and practice.
Philippe C. Schmitter and Terry Lynn KarlDemocracy as a Universal Value
The recognition of democracy as a universally relevant system is a major revolution in thinking, and one of the main contributions of the twentieth century.
Amartya Kumar SenOn Democratic Backsliding
Old-fashioned military coups and blatant election-day fraud are becoming mercifully rarer these days, but other, subtler forms of democratic regression are a growing problem that demands more attention.
Nancy BermeoThe Rise of Competitive Authoritarianism
Competitive authoritarian regimes, though not democratic, feature arenas of contestation in which opposition forces can challenge, and even oust, authoritarian incumbents.
Steven Levitsky and Lucan A. WayWhy National Identity Matters
From enhancing physical security to encouraging mutual trust, an inclusive sense of national identity continues to be crucial to the flourishing of modern states.
Francis FukuyamaBowling Alone: America’s Declining Social Capital
Something happened in America starting in the mid-to-late twentieth century to diminish civic engagement and social connectedness. Why were fewer and fewer Americans going the polls, the pews, and town halls?
Robert D. PutnamDemocracy’s Third Wave
Between 1974 and 1990, the number of democratic governments in the world almost doubled. Were these democratizations signs of a continuing and ever-expanding “global democratic revolution”?
Samuel P. HuntingtonThe Perils of Presidentialism
A careful comparison of parliamentarism with presidentialism shows that, on balance, the former is more conducive to stable democracy than the latter — especially in nations with deep political cleavages and numerous political parties.
Juan J. Linz
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