Western public opinion reflects on the "five disadvantages" of American democracy

2021-12-10

In recent years, the superposition of American domestic political disorder and the frustration of the export of "American democracy" has triggered a concentrated reflection of western public opinion on the situation of American democracy. From the comprehensive analysis of overseas media reports and international poll data, "American democracy" currently faces the following five major disadvantages: 1. The interference in the election exposed the defects of voting democracy The United States has simplified democracy to "one person, one vote" for a long time and used it as a standard to measure whether the political system of other countries is democratic, but there are serious defects in the whole process of voting democracy in the United States. First, unequal voting rights. Since this year, the Republican Party of the United States has actively promoted the bill to restrict voting rights in the states it controls, blocking voters unfavorable to the party outside the polling stations, which makes it more difficult for the poor and people of color to vote. Second, the election management is not perfect. Since the 2020 general election, American election officials have been threatened by serious violence from Republican supporters, and a large number of county-level election officials have resigned under pressure. The US "Capitol Hill" commented that when election officials leave, they also take away their professional knowledge and skills and their commitment to the fair management of elections, which adds a threat to the already precarious American democracy. Third, the election results lost credibility. Trump's refusal to recognize the results of the 2020 general election and the subsequent congressional riots made the British Guardian express the feeling that "the American 'democratic experiment' is on the verge of failure". According to a poll commissioned by CNN in September, 56% of Americans believe that American democracy is "attacked". 2. Party strife out of control intensifies social tear and governance failure For a period of time, the political differences and antagonism between the Democratic Party and the Republican Party have intensified, and the political tribal attribute has become increasingly obvious. 15 scholars, including American political scientist Shanto Iyengar, pointed out in the American journal Science that the hatred between the two parties exceeds the long-term hatred around race and religion. This political sectarianism poses a major threat to American democracy. Partisan strife has also led to irreconcilable voters supporting different parties. According to a CBS poll released in January this year, 54% of respondents said that "other Americans and domestic enemies" currently pose a "greatest threat" to American society. The two parties put the interests of the party above the interests of the state and citizens, resulting in the deadlock in the formulation of major public policies and the inefficiency of national governance. Francis, a famous American scholar? Fukuyama pointed out in the British economist that American society is seriously polarized and it is difficult to reach a consensus on almost any issue. 3. Chronic social diseases exacerbate inequality and extreme populism The economic crisis caused by the epidemic and the social tear under the intensification of the general election have intensified the long-standing social problems in American society. First, the chronic disease of racial discrimination is difficult to get rid of. Influenced by political figures' incitement of racial hatred for election interests, white supremacy racism and racial antagonism have been rampant in the United States since the 2020 election. The associated press pointed out that although the racial problem has been further exposed in the past year, most white Americans are not willing to face their racial prejudice and their desire to maintain white power. Second, the gap between the rich and the poor continues to widen. The US "business insider" website pointed out that the total net assets of US billionaires increased by US $1.8 trillion during the epidemic. In 2020, the wealth owned by the richest 1% of Americans increased by about $4 trillion, an increase that exceeded the total wealth owned by the poorest 50% of Americans. Third, populism has become increasingly fierce and has become the main inducement leading to the riots in Congress. This forces American public opinion to reflect on the long-term threat that populism poses to American democracy. The syndicate website of the US world newspaper believes that although trump has failed, the swamp of populism has not been drained. Stagnant wage levels, economic inequality, migration and cultural conflicts are all extremely serious challenges. 4. The American people lack confidence in "American democracy" The chaos after the US presidential election in 2020 and the increasingly prominent social problems under the epidemic have aroused American people's concern about the current situation of domestic democracy. A poll conducted by the associated press in February 2021 found that only 16% of Americans believe that American democracy works well, and nearly half of Americans believe that democracy does not work normally. With many problems exposed, most Americans believe that the "beacon of democracy" in the United States is no longer shining. According to a survey report released by the Pew Research Center this year, 72% of Americans no longer believe that "American democracy is a model worthy of reference in other countries". 5. The export of "American democracy" suffered another setback The hasty withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan once again proves that "democratic export" is not feasible. Time magazine of the United States pointed out that it has been proved many times that it is a bad idea to shape other countries' governments according to the American model. Spain's "El Pais" believes that not only the US military was defeated in Afghanistan, but also the idea that "democracy can be exported", which has a profound impact on the western world. University of Massachusetts Professor Ali? Perrieg further pointed out that forcing other countries to accept democracy by force will lead to political instability, conflict and increased civil security risks. Political reform is more likely to succeed when it is rooted in local society and political culture. (outlook new era)

Edit:Ming Wu    Responsible editor:Haoxuan Qi

Source:accws.org.cn

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