The Crisis of Democracy Archive

Abstract

Background: It is now commonplace to say that democracy is in crisis. What exactly does that diagnosis mean? Analysis: Examining an archive of Google Alerts over the past three years, this commentary addresses themes and contradictions in the public debate about the so-called crisis of democracy. Conclusions and implications: The analysis shows that debate is characterized by significant disagreement on the nature of the crisis—how it started, its main symptoms, and its potential resolution. While this commentary rejects the assumption that liberal democracy is in crisis, it argues that there is radical insight and potential in this misguided view.