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LIFESTYLE

government in which absolute power Nevertheless, despite the damage continue to make gains so long as
over a state is concentrated in the to democracy’s foundations and democracy’s proponents let them. It
hands of one person, whose decisions reputation, popular demand for is time for everyone who understands
are subject neither to external legal democracy remains strong. From the stakes to rebuild and improve
restraints nor to regulated mechanisms Sudan to Myanmar, people continue upon the international norms that
of popular control. to risk their lives in the pursuit of democracies long championed, and
freedom in their countries. Many push the reprehensible practices of
Totalitarianism is a form of others undertake dangerous journeys authoritarians back to the margins
government and political system in order to live freely elsewhere. of human experience where they
that prohibits all opposition parties, belong.
outlaws individual opposition to the BUILDING A MORE
state and its claims, and exercises an DEMOCRATIC WORLD By tipping the balance back in
extremely high degree of control and There is a school of thought favour of worldwide democracy,
regulation over public and private life. that the displacement of global the mass exodus of refugees
democratic norms by authoritarian escaping oppression will be avoided;
Citizens, therefore, have no say in powers and other antidemocratic standards of living will stabilise; and
how the country is run. protagonists can still be reversed. basic human rights will gain greater
But success will require a bold, traction.
Countries in every region of the world
have been captured by authoritarian/ sustained response that establishes
support for democracy and counters
totalitarian rulers in recent years. In ** Freedom House was
2021 alone, Nicaragua’s incumbent authoritarianism in all its guises. It founded in 1973 on the core
president won a new term in a tightly must involve the participation of both conviction that freedom
orchestrated election after his security the government of a country and an flourishes in democratic
forces arrested opposition candidates engaged and active citizenry. nations where governments
and deregistered civil society CONCLUSION are accountable to their
organisations. Sudan’s generals The Freedom of the World Report people. Every year, its
seized power once again, reversing 2022 states: Despite the clear research assesses the
democratic progress made after the arguments in favour of democracy, conditions of political rights
2019 ouster of former dictator Omar
the past 16 years have shown in stark
DEMOCRACY IN CRISIS al-Bashir. And as the United States terms that neither the prevalence of world.
and civil liberties around the
abruptly withdrew its military from
democratic ideas around the world
Afghanistan, the elected government
Large sections of this article
nor the certainty of global progress
in Kabul collapsed and gave way to toward democratic governance can have been taken verbatim
the Taliban, returning the country to a
from the Freedom of the World
be taken for granted. Autocrats
COMPILED BY JOSH TRUTER, WITH EXTRACTS FROM A REPORT BY SARAH REPUCCI AND AMY SLIPOWITZ system that is diametrically opposed remain determined to keep and Reports.
to democracy and equality. expand their power, and they will

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