(gguy44/iStock Images)Historically, there has been the proverbial argument about whether the United States is a democracy or republic. The answer is the United States is both. But that question pales in comparison to the one looming over Americans today.
Will America remain a democracy, a democratic republic?
You might become indignant at the very question.
Given the political direction and actions taking place today, it is becoming more difficult to recognize the democratic republic you were taught about in school and have assumed you were living under.
How would you characterize the behavior of those occupying the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government? Is America slipping from a democracy to an autocracy, an oligarchy or some combination?
We need not dig too deeply in the annals of history to see how and what happens when a democracy slips into an autocracy.
Germany was a democracy until Adolf Hitler turned in into an autocracy.
It only took him 53 days, less than two months.
Germany, like the United Sates, prior to World War II, was a democratic republic governed by a constitution. Hitler went about destroying a constitutional government by systematically disabling and then dismantling the country’s democratic structures and processes.
It became known as one of the most astonishing governmental transformation in history and its impact on the world order was defining.
More recently, one has only to look at the political changes in Russia following the dissolution of the Soviet Empire in 1991. Russia adopted democratic reforms and practices, which lasted until Vadimir Putin came into power.
Putin systematically dismantled democratic institutions and organizations, replaced individuals with loyalists, attacked and seized control of the media to solidify Russia becoming an autocracy, ruled by oligarchs. Putin, remaining chief among them.
We have seen Hungary’s democracy changed to an autocracy under the leadership of President Viktor Orban; and Turkey’s democracy changed to an autocracy under the leadership of its president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
All of these leaders have one thing in common: They dismantled their democratic government from within.
How were they able to do it?
Because the majority of the people ignored the signs, sat back and did nothing.
Are we willing to do the same and forfeit our way of life?
It behooves every American citizen to look into how democracies are destroyed from within. There are valuable lessons to be learned.
What about living under an oligarchy?
An oligarchy is a government that is controlled by the wealthy few, wielding power and influence because of their financial, social, or political status. There are many variations of an oligarchy. An aristocracy (ruled by the noble) and plutocracy (ruled by the rich), for example.
Some political scientists and researchers have debated whether the United States is a kind of oligarchy given the influence and impact of large corporations and large financial contributions of the wealthy on policymaking, which often is much more than that of ordinary citizens.
The rich and powerful are also given access to elected officials, often unfettered.
Ask the disenfranchised and underprivileged or just ordinary citizens whether America is becoming an oligarchy, and we might not be surprised at their answer. They may say America has always been controlled by the rich and powerful. That the ordinary citizen’s well-being has been at the mercy, decency, fairness, and in no small measure the benevolence of which rich or powerful leader is in charge.
Even within those nations that are openly and unabashedly ruled by autocrats, oligarchs or kings, the well-being of the masses is dependent on what type of ruler he/she is.
However, the threats and actions against democracy that are occurring on the global stage and here at home cannot be dismissed or ignored.
America has long been regarded as the strongest democracy in the world — at least in its core doctrines, and for the most part in much of its day-to-day practices.
It must be acknowledged that throughout America’s history, many of its citizens have not enjoyed the tenets of what a real democracy purports to be. This has left them vulnerable and susceptible to believing in anyone who promises to pay attention to their needs, redress their grievances, and pave the way for greater things to come.
These citizens become easy prey for an autocratic leader who portrays strength and charisma while brandishing and being a master of delivering the right demagogic messages — true or not — against whomever or whatever the disenfranchised deems the enemy.
Autocrats are also masters at bringing together disparate and unlikely groups of people who in the course of everyday life may never associate, be aligned or concerned about the same issues.
An annual report, just released, about the global state of democracy shows how democracy in the United States is at serious risk.
Do we get involved in keeping our democratic way of life, or do we ignore the signs, sit back and do nothing as it devolves into an oppressive autocratic oligarchy?
That is the question. Only we can determine the answer.
