Democracy Under Threat

Many current events in the world are increasingly being discussed as pointing towards democracy in crisis. This book contributes in a systematic manner to the discussion on democracy with a close look at democracy in practice in a global perspective, highlighting challenges from within andoutside. Issues such as crisis in democratic leadership, fragile state of democratic institutions, populism, caudillism, and dynasty rule are discussed, along with threats of authoritarianism to the democratic order. In addition, questions have been raised whether the West has failed and whetherleaders such as Gandhi and Havel can help us to leave the era of post-truth behind us in order to create a humane order with reason, conscience, and responsibility. This book includes the contributions of twenty contributors from different parts of the world (viz. Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Taiwan, Turkey, UK, and USA). Though there are no contributors from Russia and China these countries are discussed atlength in more than one paper. Among the contributors are academics, counsellors, diplomats, journalists, political leaders, and other thought leaders. The papers are up to date until the time of the American presidential election.