India. Once hailed as the world’s largest democracy, it has in recent years given more and more cause for its democratic credentials to be held in doubt. With a nationalist majoritarian political party in power… [Read more]
Tag: democracy
Venezuela’s Banana Socialism: From a Revolution to a Corrupted Oligarchy
In the last 25 years, Venezuela has walked the path from a democratic to an authoritarian state. Having been one of the richest countries in Latin America in 1998, Venezuela is now among the poorest countries in the region with 95.5% of its population below the poverty line. Can the new reforms save the Venezuelan economy and alleviate the… [Read more]
People Are Grey; We Should Remember Them as Such
I remember the first time I ever heard her name. I was around 11 years old, sitting in the back seat of my dad’s green Honda Civic as we drove home from the hardware store… [Read more]
Moldovan Queen’s Gambit
Where is Moldova’s place on the geo-political map of the world? Is it the EU’s “close partner” or Moscow’s puppet? For years, Moldova has balanced European ambitions and rapprochement with Moscow. The election of the… [Read more]
How To Finish Off Disinformation Online
Media manipulation is anything but new. While every technological invention offered new ways to manipulate public opinion, democracies seem to be particularly ill-equipped to counter disinformation in the digital age. What can be done to… [Read more]
How to Survive Radical Uncertainty
The core idea of representative democracy is that leaders maintain a comprehensive vision of politics, surveying how different realms of policy interact with each other and acting in accordance with their conscience. Ultimately, the trade-offs… [Read more]
India’s Citizenship Amendment Act – Part II: The Protests
This is the second part of a three-part series about India’s Citizenship Amendment Act. In this article, we talk about the rise of student protests in response to the Act. More than ninety days have… [Read more]
Election in the DRC: On the Verge of Democracy
In an election overshadowed by irregularities, protests, an internet shutdown and delayed results, Felix Tshisekedi has been sworn in as the new president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This might lead to the… [Read more]
Populism: Why Does Its Definition Matter?
In 1967, U.S. historian Richard Hofstadter gave a talk entitled “Everyone Is Talking about Populism, but No One Can Define It”. Last Thursday’s panel discussion at the Hertie School of Governance on “Lessons from an… [Read more]
Proportional Representation Now
The 2016 U.S. Presidential Primary cycle demonstrates more than ever the need for a proportional representation electoral system. Our current winner-takes-all framework encourages two broadly based parties, disenfranchising important social movements and discouraging political participation… [Read more]