There has been an increasing vogue over the past couple of years to bemoan the unhealthy state of democracy around the world. Many have warned of its fragility. That it is in retreat is widely accepted. Comparisons with the 1930s are frequently made. The Guardian newspaper has even named 2018 "the year of the autocrat".
No doubt, the election of populists, the erosion of liberal norms and the chipping away at the independence of institutions have alarmed those who thought the broad contours of the western-led world had been settled upon.
But there is another, more positive way of looking at events over the last year. And that is to celebrate the resilience and perseverance of populations across the globe who have merely become more assertive in declaring what they want – and, just as importantly, who they don't want.
First, take the theory of democratic retreat. That is certainly belied by the first-ever change of government in Malaysia, achieved peacefully in May, via the ballot box. At around the same time, tens of thousands in Armenia took to the streets to secure what has been termed a reformist and pro-democracy revolution. The strongman president of the Maldives Abdulla Yameen unexpectedly lost elections in September, "reversing a half-decade decline into authoritarianism" as one authority on the country put it. In the United States, the Democrats retook control of the House of Representatives in November.
"Ah," doubters will ask, "but what about Brazil?" After winning the nation's election in October, Jair Bolsonaro – a man with an open nostalgia for the country's former military dictatorship and a very weak attachment to human rights – will tomorrow be formally sworn in as president.
One answer to that is that Brazilians have seen the extent to which the labyrinthine Operation Car Wash corruption investigation has felled politicians across the party spectrum. In light of this, it is not so surprising that they were tempted by a “none of the above” candidate who promised to put the country’s affairs in order.
The other answer, however, is that it is their democratic right to vote for whomsoever they please – just as in past years it was the right of Americans to vote for Donald Trump, of Britons to vote for Brexit, of Filipinos to elect Rodrigo Duterte, and of Hungarians and Polish people to back Viktor Orban's Fidesz and the Law and Justice Party, respectively.
What the handwringers are upset about is the failure of the post-war left-to-right mainstream to maintain its appeal and, crucially, its dominance. To say that means there is a crisis in democracy is an example of liberal intolerance, for it means that only one broad set of electoral politics and one form of democracy is acceptable. Who are they to make that judgement? I would say that many populations have shown they beg to differ. The democratic doomsayers do, in any case, go too far.
Look at Poland, for example. In a powerful and widely read essay for The Atlantic a couple of months ago, the author Anne Applebaum – married to a former Polish cabinet minister – rued what she called the transformation of many of Poland's leading politicians into "nativist ideologues" and asked if they had always been "closet authoritarians". "Given the right conditions," she concluded, "any society can turn against democracy. Indeed, if history is anything to go by, all societies eventually will."
A corrective was offered to this in the New York Times yesterday by two Polish scholars who pointed out that "many Poles are willing to overlook the government's disregard for the rule of law and its trampling of the constitution" on the grounds that for years they felt both the state and the judiciary were distant from and had done nothing for them. Further, in recent municipal elections liberal candidates achieved a wave of victories, and decisions at the European Union level have gone against the current administration. The situation is, in other words, nowhere near as "black and white" as the likes of Ms Applebaum present it.
Now, if institutions and legal processes are undermined by illegal means, that is obviously a problem for any country, democracy or not. But if changes are made according to the law and as an expression of the will of the people, I see nothing anti-democratic in that. That includes moves that may restrict liberties, for any country has the right – indeed in this age of terrorism, has the duty – to revisit the balance between personal freedoms and the powers exercised by the state.
To those who would say that this is a reductionist and majoritarian approach to democracy, I plead guilty. Any democracy that is not inherently majoritarian has turned into an unrepresentative oligarchy – for the people must always have the final say. The trappings and chandeliers of liberal democracy properly belong to that concept, not to democracy itself, which requires a certain degree of freedom to function, but not the full suite demanded by those so distressed by the populist trend.
So, were Americans wrong to vote for Mr Trump and Brazilians for Mr Bolsonaro? Although I wouldn’t have done so myself, I would not be so presumptuous as to tell them what to do. But I would rather be on the side of peoples who have decided to reject the whole panoply of establishment parties than of elites who regard their dismissal not just with horror, but as somehow illegitimate.
Far from there being a democratic recession, there is a crisis among much of the global political class. By their reaction, they appear to think that the problem is with their electorates rather than with themselves. They have got democracy on its head. Until they realise that it is the people who are the masters, not them, they will continue to be rejected at the ballot box, because the truth is that it is they, not democracy, who are failing.
Sholto Byrnes is a senior fellow at the Institute of Strategic and International Studies Malaysia
Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
How to report a beggar
Abu Dhabi – Call 999 or 8002626 (Aman Service)
Dubai – Call 800243
Sharjah – Call 065632222
Ras Al Khaimah - Call 072053372
Ajman – Call 067401616
Umm Al Quwain – Call 999
Fujairah - Call 092051100 or 092224411
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Company profile
Name: Infinite8
Based: Dubai
Launch year: 2017
Number of employees: 90
Sector: Online gaming industry
Funding: $1.2m from a UAE angel investor
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Tips on buying property during a pandemic
Islay Robinson, group chief executive of mortgage broker Enness Global, offers his advice on buying property in today's market.
While many have been quick to call a market collapse, this simply isn’t what we’re seeing on the ground. Many pockets of the global property market, including London and the UAE, continue to be compelling locations to invest in real estate.
While an air of uncertainty remains, the outlook is far better than anyone could have predicted. However, it is still important to consider the wider threat posed by Covid-19 when buying bricks and mortar.
Anything with outside space, gardens and private entrances is a must and these property features will see your investment keep its value should the pandemic drag on. In contrast, flats and particularly high-rise developments are falling in popularity and investors should avoid them at all costs.
Attractive investment property can be hard to find amid strong demand and heightened buyer activity. When you do find one, be prepared to move hard and fast to secure it. If you have your finances in order, this shouldn’t be an issue.
Lenders continue to lend and rates remain at an all-time low, so utilise this. There is no point in tying up cash when you can keep this liquidity to maximise other opportunities.
Keep your head and, as always when investing, take the long-term view. External factors such as coronavirus or Brexit will present challenges in the short-term, but the long-term outlook remains strong.
Finally, keep an eye on your currency. Whenever currency fluctuations favour foreign buyers, you can bet that demand will increase, as they act to secure what is essentially a discounted property.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 258hp from 5,000-6,500rpm
Torque: 400Nm from 1,550-4,000rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.1L/100km
Price: from Dh362,500
On sale: now
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
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Credits
Produced by: Colour Yellow Productions and Eros Now
Director: Mudassar Aziz
Cast: Sonakshi Sinha, Jimmy Sheirgill, Jassi Gill, Piyush Mishra, Diana Penty, Aparshakti Khurrana
Star rating: 2.5/5
What is dialysis?
Dialysis is a way of cleaning your blood when your kidneys fail and can no longer do the job.
It gets rid of your body's wastes, extra salt and water, and helps to control your blood pressure. The main cause of kidney failure is diabetes and hypertension.
There are two kinds of dialysis — haemodialysis and peritoneal.
In haemodialysis, blood is pumped out of your body to an artificial kidney machine that filter your blood and returns it to your body by tubes.
In peritoneal dialysis, the inside lining of your own belly acts as a natural filter. Wastes are taken out by means of a cleansing fluid which is washed in and out of your belly in cycles.
It isn’t an option for everyone but if eligible, can be done at home by the patient or caregiver. This, as opposed to home haemodialysis, is covered by insurance in the UAE.
Things Heard & Seen
Directed by: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini
Starring: Amanda Seyfried, James Norton
2/5
SPECS
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'Munich: The Edge of War'
Director: Christian Schwochow
Starring: George MacKay, Jannis Niewohner, Jeremy Irons
Rating: 3/5
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Pathaan
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THURSDAY FIXTURES
4.15pm: Italy v Spain (Group A)
5.30pm: Egypt v Mexico (Group B)
6.45pm: UAE v Japan (Group A)
8pm: Iran v Russia (Group B)
RESULTS
5pm: Rated Conditions (PA) Dh85,000 (Turf) 1,600m
Winner: AF Mouthirah, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: AF Alajaj, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Hawafez, Connor Beasley, Abubakar Daud
6.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m
Winner: Tair, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m
Winner: Wakeel W’Rsan, Richard Mullen, Jaci Wickham
7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 2,400m
Winner: Son Of Normandy, Fernando Jara, Ahmad bin Harmash
