Anxiety in the West. How to Restore the Ideal of Western Democracy?
- Autores: Rob Riemen
- Localización: Notes internacionals CIDOB, ISSN-e 2013-4428, Nº. 242, 2020, págs. 1-5
- Idioma: inglés
- Enlaces
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Resumen
The current fear for the fast spreading deadly coronavirus is almost symbolic for another fast spreading virus, which is killing the idea of the liberal democracy – the virus of fascism.
Its leaders will adopt the guise of an anti-politician, a new messiah promising to cure society of all its ills, knowing full well how to exploit human weakness, resentment, fear, hatred, xenophobia, greed, the hunger for authority and the obsession with a nationalethnic identity.
How to restore the foundation on which liberal democracy – the only form of government which makes it possible that a pluralistic society can live together in freedom and dignity – can flourish again? It is crucial to call things by their name, as that everyone realizes what we are facing.
The restoration of the Western liberal democracy depends first and foremost on the choices we make on education, equal opportunities and rights, and cultivating values as reason, truth or justice.
