Bunce and Beissinger present the perils of democracy within countries around the world. The example of a puzzle is used in order to identity the components that contribute to the demise of a democratic regime. So what are the pieces of the puzzle that explain the fall of democracy? The first piece is relative to public opinion. The second piece represents the dysfunctional political institutions. Finally, the third piece of the puzzle is the role of politicians in terminating democracy (Bunce & Beissinger, 2016). Once the pieces of this puzzle are put together, the grand scheme of an overthrow of the democratic regime may be apparent. Interestingly enough, the pieces of this puzzle may be present within the United States, which had been made
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Clark, Golder, and Golder have frequently mentioned economic performance in relation to democratic survival. While thriving economic performances are necessary for democratic survival, it’s also necessary to note the role of culture. There’s a debate as to whether or not civic culture is necessary for the survival of democracy. Clark, Golder, & Golder describe Civic culture as, “On the whole, a civic culture conceptualized as a shared cluster of attitudes that includes things like a high level of interpersonal trust, a preference for gradual societal change, a high level of support for the existing political system, and high levels of life satisfaction” (Clark, Golder, & Golder, 2012, pg. 220). Civic culture has been found to be a necessary contributor for democratic stability. It may seem easy to argue that in the case of the United States these attitudes likely don’t exist on a shared level, as the country is usually torn between the two political parties. This divide has been made more evident upon this most recent election between Trump and Hilary Clinton. Hence, it could be argued that if Trump continues to appeal to only his supporters the divide will grow stronger causing democracy to falter and …show more content…
Timothy Snyder has presented twenty steps that anyone can apply to their own lives. Each step provides a necessary action, however, there are three that seem most important and relevant. Step eight suggests to ’believe in the truth’. One shouldn’t abandon the facts, in doing so they will abandon their freedom. This step coincides with actions suggested in his ninth step. The ninth step suggests that everyone should ‘investigate’. One should take the measures to find out the truth for themselves. To do so, it’s necessary to spend more time reading articles. Learn to recognize the sources that are untruthful and/or harmful. Perhaps look into multiple sources for your news, rather than sticking to only a single major media resource. Obtain a worldlier view and gain new perspectives by reading articles written by sources outside of your country. Lastly, step twelve suggests that one should ‘take responsibility for the face of the world’. In other words, learn to recognize the symbols of hatred (I.E. Swastikas to name one). Don’t ignore these symbols, as this ignorance equates to acceptance of these symbols. Instead, Snyder suggests that you remove these symbols and encourage others to follow your suit. As Mahatma Gandhi says, “Be the change you wish to see in the world” (Mahatma
Clark, Golder, and Golder have frequently mentioned economic performance in relation to democratic survival. While thriving economic performances are necessary for democratic survival, it’s also necessary to note the role of culture. There’s a debate as to whether or not civic culture is necessary for the survival of democracy. Clark, Golder, & Golder describe Civic culture as, “On the whole, a civic culture conceptualized as a shared cluster of attitudes that includes things like a high level of interpersonal trust, a preference for gradual societal change, a high level of support for the existing political system, and high levels of life satisfaction” (Clark, Golder, & Golder, 2012, pg. 220). Civic culture has been found to be a necessary contributor for democratic stability. It may seem easy to argue that in the case of the United States these attitudes likely don’t exist on a shared level, as the country is usually torn between the two political parties. This divide has been made more evident upon this most recent election between Trump and Hilary Clinton. Hence, it could be argued that if Trump continues to appeal to only his supporters the divide will grow stronger causing democracy to falter and …show more content…
Timothy Snyder has presented twenty steps that anyone can apply to their own lives. Each step provides a necessary action, however, there are three that seem most important and relevant. Step eight suggests to ’believe in the truth’. One shouldn’t abandon the facts, in doing so they will abandon their freedom. This step coincides with actions suggested in his ninth step. The ninth step suggests that everyone should ‘investigate’. One should take the measures to find out the truth for themselves. To do so, it’s necessary to spend more time reading articles. Learn to recognize the sources that are untruthful and/or harmful. Perhaps look into multiple sources for your news, rather than sticking to only a single major media resource. Obtain a worldlier view and gain new perspectives by reading articles written by sources outside of your country. Lastly, step twelve suggests that one should ‘take responsibility for the face of the world’. In other words, learn to recognize the symbols of hatred (I.E. Swastikas to name one). Don’t ignore these symbols, as this ignorance equates to acceptance of these symbols. Instead, Snyder suggests that you remove these symbols and encourage others to follow your suit. As Mahatma Gandhi says, “Be the change you wish to see in the world” (Mahatma