Trump: A Symptom of the Worldwide Decline of Democracy.

Donald Trump is but another symptom of the global drift away from democracy, which is happening throughout much of the world.

The data should be troubling to anyone who embraces democracy as a governing model. The decline demonstrates a steady shift worldwide and represents a wake-up call to Americans who still assume our democracy is rock solid.

2024 represents the most significant election year in over a century, with citizens in 60 countries, representing 45% of the world’s population, voting worldwide, including seven of the world's ten most populous countries: Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Pakistan, Russia, and the United States, going to the polls. According to a recent report out of Sweden, this might translate into a make-or-break year for democracy. While that rather draconian view might seem a bit dramatic, the Trumpian drift of much of the American power structure should be of real concern to those who cherish democracy here in the United States.

Donald Trump has demonstrated that he is prepared to ignore the outcome of an election to hold on to power, and it is probably a safe bet that he is not prepared to go quietly into the night should he lose the next presidential election barely six weeks from now. To Donald Trump, a fair and free election is simply one in which he wins, and a rigged or crooked election is one in which his opponent wins. Today, it seems all but inconceivable that Donald Trump is capable of admitting defeat. Trump conceding an election loss has become unimaginable, and that is troubling because we’ve seen how easily the former President can incite violence and his willingness to do so. In America, the loser concedes and generally wishes the winner well when a candidate loses an election. Not so with Donald Trump, as we saw in 2021. We can assume he will contest the upcoming election in six weeks should he lose, and we probably can also assume that this time, he has a game plan to cause substantial mischief if the election does not go his way. Democracy is in a state of decline throughout much of the world, and we in America cannot assume American democracy will always prevail when threatened by a demagogue who is prepared to subvert it. 

Unfortunately, democracies are more vulnerable than we might imagine. Democracy depends on guard rails, which can be weakened or jettisoned altogether. We see examples of diminished democratic forms of government throughout the world. It doesn’t take a civil war to diminish a democratic governing paradigm. It merely takes a concerted effort to erode the guardrails governments have established to protect democratic institutions and traditions. Democracy is often compromised by political operatives who use democratic procedures to come to power.  These electoral autocracies have used the trappings of democracy to come to power and then establish undemocratic laws, regulations, or institutions to stay in power. This is a dangerous reality. When the pursuit of political power becomes an end in itself, the potential for violence is often not far behind. So, when Trump taunts rallygoers and television audiences with hot rhetoric that predicts, “you won’t have a country anymore,” and calls Kamala Harris a fascist and a Marxist, it is no small wonder that bullets might start flying, either toward Trump or toward his political opponents. Not surprisingly, support for violence follows when irresponsible rhetoric begins to permeate political campaigning. 

Today, according to PRRI, The Public Religion Research Institute, a nonpartisan research and education organization that conducts public opinion polls specializing in political issues that relate to religious values, nearly a quarter of Americans (23%) agree that “because things have gotten so far off track, true American patriots may have to resort to violence to save our country,” up from 15% in 2021. PRRI has asked this question in eight separate surveys since March 2021, and this is the first time support for political violence has peaked above 20%.  Indeed, according to PRRI, one-third of Republicans today believe that so-called true American patriots may have to resort to violence to save the country. This compares with 22% of independents and 13% of democrats with the same views.

As soon as Kamala Harris became the Democratic nominee for president, Trump began haranguing that a “coup” had taken place and that she was an illegitimate candidate. Indeed, we haven’t heard the last of Trump’s attempts to claim election fraud should Harris win the forthcoming election. Ken Block, who was hired by the Trump campaign to find voter fraud in the last presidential election, said there was none of any real significance. Block wrote an op-ed following the previous presidential election, in which he unequivocally stated that the 2020 election was not stolen and that there was no significant election fraud in 2020.

But as sure as night follows day, we can be sure that Trump has contingency plans to claim election fraud in the event he loses the election in November. Rejection is not something Trump can tolerate. Harris is outperforming Trump in the campaign, and we can be sure that should Trump lose the forthcoming election, his post-election harangue is undoubtedly already written. When you read it, please think of the note George Bush 41 left for Bill Clinton, who had beaten him in the Presidential election of 1992. It follows below:

Dear Bill,

When I walked into this office just now, I felt the same sense of wonder and respect that I had felt four years ago. I know you will feel that, too.

I wish you great happiness here. I never felt the loneliness some Presidents have described.

There will be very tough times, made even more difficult by criticism you may not think is fair. I’m not a very good one to give advice, but just don’t let the critics discourage you or push you off course.

You will be our President when you read this note. I wish you well. I wish your family well.

Your success now is our country’s success. I am rooting hard for you.