Democracy and prosperity
demand changes, as seen in 1989, leading to more instability and less prosperity in the subsequent conflict and unrest. 1
Conversely, democracy only crumbles when, in times of crisis, democracy is perceived to have failed in serving or protecting the people, and the people are willing to choose radical solutions for momentary increases in decision-making speed. This is more likely to happen in times when power slowly accumulates in the hands of a few, until they can subvert the intended workings of the political system and assert their power. To defend against this, I would point to what I have already mentioned: diverse electorates make it harder for any one group or narrative to dominate. This weakens the effect of populism or disinformation, and the likelihood of democracy failing. To conclude, democracy is the best system for prosperity. Its short-term drawbacks in speed or planning are outweighed by long-term stability, adaptability, and decision-making. Instability and conflict in authoritarian transitions do far greater harm than democratic inefficiency, as they create long-lasting periods with weakened governmental control, allowing increased exploitation and decreased prosperity.
1 Hutton, W. 2008. The Writing on the Wall. China and the West in the 21 st Century . London.
128
Made with FlippingBook - PDF hosting