The Era of Democratic Pessimism

Undergraduate / Graduate

According to the end of history thesis and the nineties optimism that fueled it, the world would converge in a combination of liberal democracy and market economy. However, in recent years, a specter of political pessimism haunts the globe. Although democracies do not die as dramatically as they used to, new kinds of authoritarianisms have emerged. Some say that populism is to blame, others point to economic crises, identity politics and even the rise of social media, not to mention the elephant in the room: whether democracy can handle the climate crisis. Is democracy really receding? Are these its causes? Can survive its most pressing challenges?