kameraad mhambi

The last few days saw British politicians haggling in trying to put together a stable government in the midst of a European debt crisis. The unease is palpable. Commentators glance furtively at the markets for signs of disapproval. The pound has fallen in value and the prices of UK government debt has gone up.

Hung parliaments are the the norm in Europe, rather than the exception. The Brits are just new to the party. But don’t let that make you complacent. The indecisiveness, risk aversion and lack of leadership in western states is a problem. And in a more uncertain world these issues will be magnified.

As the West’s influence wanes one has to wonder about the future of democracy.

This morning I listened to an excellent program by erstwhile conservative MP Michael Portillo, Democracy on Trial. It also features luminaries such as Frances Fukoyama and Amartya Sen.

Portillo, whose family fled to the UK from Fascist Spain is a fan of democracy, but he is worried about its future. We cant take it for granted he argues.

Pointing at failed African democracies he asks? Is a wealthy nation a prerequisite for democracy to exist?

Paul Colier argues when people are too poor to be literate, or to poor to regard themselves as citizens as opposed to members of a group, democracy ivariably suffers.

Sen argues that India proves it is not at prerequisite. It is poor and democratic. Paul Collier argues that India is the exception, because its size made institution building essential. It was too big for personalised power to run them. In smaller countries leaders can hang on through personal patronage networks.

Related deployments:

1. On the essence of democracy
2. US National debt clock runs out of digits
3. This is democracy