ASK OUR EXPERTS #18: David Blunkett, Rising Political Disorder in our Liberal Democracies

KEY TAKE-AWAY

• Historically, extremist regimes often emerge when there is a disconnect between an electorate’s needs and expectations and the governing body’s ability to deliver. Populist politicians are skilled at offering simple, and thus appealing, solutions to complex issues and diverting the blame for the original ills on to the incumbent political establishment. This is a vote winning tactic but rarely accompanied by effective policies in the long-term or real interest in the complexities and compromise of democratic politics.
• To maintain an electorate’s engagement and commitment to a political system the efforts of those working within it must have a positive impact (even if small and gradual) on the voters’ everyday lives.
• One of the participants suggested that the US system was failing on this score, dominated by two ideologically divided parties, it appears to serve the narrow political interests of one or other of them and not the interests of the (generally) more moderate non-ideological US people. This leads to political alienation.
• Such alienation is particular rife among younger generations.  A recent poll suggested that 57% of millennials no longer regard democracy as the optimal political system.
• The current rise of populism (Joe Biden’s victory in the US elections not withstanding) combined with a growing sense of disillusion with the democratic process are both a caveat and an invitation to rethink how we do politics in our liberal democracies.
• Such a process could include coherent de-centralization to allocate decision making powers to the right entity; more collaborative and participative systems. Concerning the latter, clarity is vital to avoid false hopes: there is an all important distinction between seeking out an electorate’s opinion and empowering them to make the decisions.
• Political education has an important role to play, particularly in re-engaging younger generations. It should invite them to seek change and fight for what they believe in, but also educate them to accept that change will not happen overnight. Pro-activity at all levels should be encouraged to favour campaigning for things rather than against them. Such legitimate protests have the potential to connect with the traditional levers of power and to make a real difference.
• Politics is the science of handling contradictions.
• Despite its flaw and shortcomings, the true strength of democracy lies not in the power it gives society to elect any particular individual but rather the facility it offers to get rid of them. In an autocracy there is no guarantee that a benign dictator will remain so and even less that any successor will make the same benevolent use of his or her power.