Politicians often like to portray themselves as being “neither on the left nor on the right” of the political spectrum. Talk of conservatism, liberalism and socialism sound like something from a bygone era. These ideologies have been replaced by one ideal: progress.

The term ‘progress’ has, however, taken on a life of its own. It has morphed into an ideology, religion and an undefinable destination. The great Orcadian poet and author George Mackay Brown provides one of the best definitions for this term.

He cites a lack of interest in the past as a key problem which conditions thought and analysis. Progress “is concerned only with material things in the present and in a vague golden-handed future”.

It is a “rootless utilitarian faith, without beauty or mystery; a kind of blind, unquestioning belief that men and their material circumstances will go on improving until some kind of nirvana is reached and everyone will be rich, free, fulfilled, well informed, masterful”.

The promise of this kind of ‘progress’ has helped some autocrats to consolidate their hold on power. This is often done through unholy alliances coupled with a gradual disintegration of independent institutions.

One need not look far to realise that autocracy is on the ascendancy.

In Turkey, President Erdogan successfully managed to steer through constitutional revisions which strengthen the President’s office considerably. The Russian President, Vladimir Putin, has strengthened his position on the world stage and in Russia.

Paradoxically, he has admirers on both the left and the right of politics.

In various European democracies, leaders with autocratic tendencies are viewed as having possible solutions to their nations’ problems. The appeal of the strongman is back. The economic successes registered by autocracies such as Azerbaijan, China and Singapore serves to encourage this train of thought.

Institutions strengthen the rule of law; without them, the electoral process turns into a vehicle for majority rule

This attitude is dangerous. In some quarters, autocracy is now perceived as being a viable alternative to democracy. Institutions and the values they represent may be weakened in the name of ‘progress’. Great social and environmental injustices are sometimes justified because one must not kill the goose that lays the golden egg.

The drive for autocracy comes at a time when democracy seems to be in crisis. Some point to the number of unsuitable and unsavoury individuals propelled to high office. Others refer to the often chaotic nature of day-to-day governance. Such criticism needs to be addressed. Moreover, a counter-narrative to the ‘progress’ argument needs to be put forward.

Democracy is not a perfect system; however, it is the only system which provides the ability for governing structures to secure long-term stability. It is not limited to the electoral process, and it necessitates strong and independent institutions with the ability to keep in check those in positions of power.

It is only successful if its institutions can act independently. Such institutions strengthen the rule of law; without them, the electoral process turns into a vehicle for majority rule. Moreover, a democracy necessitates a constitutional standard to which governments can be held accountable by citizens.

At first glance, democracy is meant to appear chaotic. A society which cherishes the exchange of ideas, the legitimisation of dissent through opposition parties, the strengthening of civil society, and the fundamental rights and freedoms is bound to appear disorganised.

Nonetheless, such elements all coalesce around a constitutional order which serves as a backbone that guarantees the continuity of the political community. Democracy is an organic system. It depends on members of society; it relies on individual choices and citizen engagement. The challenge for individuals in public life and of institutions is to ensure that this organic system does not become stagnant. As members of a political community, we must have the courage to challenge and question whether we’ve allowed ourselves and others to become disenchanted with the democratic process.

We must have the audacity to query whether the political climate is poisoned to the extent that new blood is discouraged from taking an active part in the process. No one can expect to engage in such soul-searching without expecting uncomfortable answers.

The crisis in a democracy cannot be divorced from our understanding of progress. Progress, as defined above, becomes a value-free materialistic, utilitarian achievement. It speaks of a movement towards some goal but may often lack a sound holistic vision. It may address some economic concern or some specific sectoral issue, but it often fails to address the bigger picture.

Rather than restricting debate to the idea of ‘progress’, societies could benefit from reorienting the debate on the concept of “authentic development”. The latter is impossible without a democratic system of government coupled with sound ethical foundations.

For all its pitfalls, democracy is the only system which can effectively guarantee basic tenets. The protection of individual rights and freedoms, religious freedom, the respect for minority rights and viewpoints, and representative government at all levels of society are all necessary components of democratic societies.

Complacency can put all this at risk. Democracy is hard work; it needs constant renewal and requires sound institutions. While individuals should expect better democratic standards from those in positions of power and independent institutions, they must also do their bit to ensure that such standards are maintained.

Once democratic ideals are twisted and corrupted, societies may find themselves on a slippery slope towards autocracy.

André DeBattista is an independent researcher in politics and international relations.

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