First published 2015
For nearly ten years, Freedom House surveys have tracked democracy's retreat across most world regions. Some experts call this a "democratic recession." Others argue democracy has simply held onto massive late twentieth-century victories. The debate now extends beyond counting democratic nations to examining deeper problems: wealthy democracies performing poorly in economics and politics, authoritarian powers growing bolder and more confident, and democratic countries losing geopolitical strength to these rising autocrats. Eight leading democracy scholars and public intellectuals tackle these urgent questions. Francis Fukuyama, Robert Kagan, Philippe C. Schmitter, Steven Levitsky, Lucan Way, Thomas Carothers, Larry Diamond, and Marc F. Plattner present competing perspectives on democracy's current state. Their essays examine whether democratic decline represents a temporary setback or signals something more serious for political freedom worldwide.
Genres: history, political-science, politics, non-fiction, current-affairs, academic
Vibes: thought-provoking
Tropes: academic-debate, expert-analysis
Period: 21st-century
140 pages · Kindle Edition · Johns Hopkins University Press