Are Democracies Equipped to Handle Fast-moving economic crises?

     As democratic rivalries rise, the discrepancies and issues with democratic governments are recognized and magnified. Out of 91 democratic governments that surfaced from 1974-2012, 34 of those democracies have collapsed while the effectiveness of 28 other democracies has flatlined. With the rise of COVID, democratic governments take a big blow from social issues such as inequality among the population, discrimination toward minority groups, and systematic corruption. 

     Over the decades, many countries have fought against tyranny for the ideal democratic society that ensures freedom among the population. However, just as though there are many positives about a democratic government during a crisis, there are many flaws and disadvantages as well. The problem for democracies during a national pandemic is the question of whether the government should take the proper precautions to ensure the preservation of the community as a whole and strive to minimize COVID even it invokes the population's freedom or should the government focus on minimizing economic costs while setting guidelines that could benefit the society during the pandemic while allowing the freedom of the population to continue? One false decision could end the democracy if the pandemic freezes the economy by its uncontrollable increase in cases. 

    These decisions cause a polarization of what is the true function of a democratic government. Originally, a democratic government is supposed to be able to create a society where the population can exercise free speech, press, etc. However, during the crisis in Indonesia, a poll taken by the people before and during the crisis had shifted from those original views to the idea that a democratic government should instead provide great decision-making on behalf of the people instead of leaving the decision making up to the people. The issue of modern-day Indonesia is that this pandemic can lead to civil unrest, political turmoil, and an economic meltdown. Indonesia's informal sector of workers is taking the biggest economic impact of this crisis and this is very dangerous because this sector makes up the majority of the workforce. The Indonesian government has implemented fiscal policies that plan to fund and advance healthcare and provide economic assistance to poor communities. The problem is whether these policies are adequate enough to work and if a democratic government is a sustainable concept during a crisis. With rising uncertainty on whether the Indonesian government is capable of willing their people through this pandemic, the efficiency of a democratic government such as this will be tested.

Sources:

https://www.thejakartapost.com/academia/2020/09/08/insight-are-democracies-equipped-to-handle-fast-moving-economic-crises.html

https://www.icis.com/asian-chemical-connections/2020/05/southeast-asia-polyolefins-demand-may-fall-by-as-much-as-during-asian-financial-crisis/

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-54034014

Complications Arise with Brexit

 

    A recent legislation concerning Brexit going through Parliament by Boris Johnson has caused much uproar. Although Brexit was officially agreed upon on January 31^st , 2020, this deal only established some essential elements of government, such as citizen rights and financial settlements. At the time of the agreement, one of the most significant points made was how Northern Ireland would be handled. This treaty eventually became known as the Northern Ireland Protocol, established how trade would operate in Northern Ireland, which allowed for checks and declaration of goods to be regulated in a similar fashion to the EU. However, Boris Johnson introduced legislation that would change and oppose some of the aspects of the Protocol in very specific ways. This new legislation has sparked numerous controversies, revolving around the issue of potentially breaking international law to lose of reputation. High officials in UK have also resigned due to the act, such as secretary to the Government Legal Department, Sir Jonathan Jones.

            What the legislation ultimately forces people to ask is how it will affect the overall Brexit transition. Trade negotiations with the EU are still ongoing, and further complications provided through legislation might make such talks stall out longer than they might have originally. Keep in mind that the UK only has until October 15^th to reach a new trade deal with EU, otherwise there will be no deal at all. This would mean that tariffs and exports would severely suffer in profit for the nation as a whole and doesn’t even begin to discuss the potential issues arising from any trade deals with the United States. To make matters worse, other issues, such as immigration and security, haven’t even been fully and properly discussed yet. Further complicating economic matters only delays the conversation of social matters, potentially jeopardizing the democracy of the nation.   

Credit: European Commission (https://ec.europa.eu/info/publications/slides-used-m-barnier-occasion-presentation-commissions-proposal-council-recommendation-directives-negotiation-new-partnership-uk_en)

Sources:

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-32810887

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-54059946

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-54073836

https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/09/uk/boris-johnson-rule-of-law-brexit-intl-gbr/index.html

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-54097320

Taiwan Calls for a Democratic Coalition

China has been increasing military activity around Taiwan. This has come as an act of aggression towards the current President of Taiwan, Tsai Ing-wen (leader of the Democratic Progressive Party), to encourage respect for the relationship between the two territories. Based on an agreement made between China and Taiwan in 1992 Taiwan is under the “One China” principle, in which it was agreed upon that Taiwan would not seek its own independence. However, Tsai has rejected this agreement arguing that the system of “one country, two systems” was failing the Taiwanese people in 2019. Support for this idea is shown by the rise of Taiwanese identity independent of Chinese identity where it can be seen that the people are beginning to support this idea. In addition to the reelection of Tsai in 2020, the new generation in Taiwan seems to be pushing for independence and this is only the beginning. 

With the rising threat of China’s authoritarian leadership, Tsai is calling for support from other countries to help her fight for their democracy. She says she would like to maintain peace but needs the support of other countries in order to do so. So far only 15 countries have officially supported Taiwan as its own country independent of China. With the U.S. being Taiwan’s main defense provider there is pressure for them to take a stance. Although there are no formal diplomatic ties between the US and Taiwan, creating that relationship would be a hard stance against China and for democracy. Considering rising tensions between the US and China it will be interesting to see how this plays out and to see if Taiwan can gain the favor of world political figures. 

Credit: CFR Editorial. Source: Election Study Center, National Chengchi University.

Articles:

https://thehill.com/policy/international/china/515435-taiwans-president-calls-for-coalition-of-democracies-to-protect

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-taiwan-security-idUSKBN25Z0IV

https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/china-taiwan-relations?utm_medium=social_share&utm_source=emailfwd#chapter-title-0-5

Voters of Color Settling for Biden

 

 With the 2020 election right around the corner, voters find themselves in a tough place of not knowing who to vote for. Several members of the Democratic Party are struggling with the Democratic candidate, Joe Biden, just as much as our current President, Donald Trump. In an NPR interview, three individuals of color highlight their thoughts on our current situation as a nation, and their upcoming plans for the election.

On a scale of 1-10 the interviewees were asked to rate their enthusiasm about voting for Biden. Pastor Carl Day, an African American male, gave a 2-3. Parul Kumar, a student at the University of Chicago, said she was a 1-2, maybe 3 on a good day. Lastly, Adrienne Smith Walker, an African American female in her mid 40s, rated her enthusiasm for Biden a 0. The reasoning behind their given ratings differ but essentially they all feel that the given candidates are not fit for the job. They are concerned about the future of our country in either man's hands. Even with Kamala Harris as Biden's running mate, they feel that this is a push to gain the African American vote not feeling it is authentic or genuine. Pastor Carl Day said that the Biden/Harris campaign "reeks" yet he still leans toward the democratic side for his vote. 

What does our current political situation say about American democracy? If voters are left to settle with the two given candidates, there is an issue with America. Our country was built on freedoms that allowed us to vote for the best possible person, but maybe we don't have the best option right now. The two political parties we currently have differ greatly in political agendas, ideas, and presentation. Because the two parties have very little common ground, voters are left with an extreme decision that could lead to future failure. Perhaps a third party would ease political tension, bring compromise, and meet the needs and wants of the American people. 

Free Image by Tiffany Tertipes

News Article: https://www.npr.org/2020/09/02/908874041/voters-of-color-on-settling-for-biden

Additional Source: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/07/08/joe-biden-young-black-voters-say-not-excited-candidate/5344135002/

Do Americans care about the environmental issues going on right now in America?

 

Do Americans care about the environmental issues affecting their country right now?           Sammi Perry

    Overall, Americans do support protecting the environment but there are partisan divides on this issue. In a survey last year, they found that 74% of adults want the government to do whatever it takes to help the environment. This was compared with 23%, who said the country doesn’t need to put any more effort into the environment. Democrats lean toward saving the environment more than Republicans do. 

There also has been a big gap in support for environmental issues, that has increased to 38% between Republicans and Democrats. Now, 58% of Republicans say that the government spends too much on the environment that leads to hurting the economy and jobs. Even though 55% of Americans ranked environmental issues as a top policy issue, 76% of Americans believed in strengthening the economy and preventing terrorist attacks. Even only 1 in 5 people actively say they want to make an effort to protect the environment. There is even only 32% of people who say they are bothered by people who don’t recycle. Although, data does show that 46% of people actively try to recycle. There is always a spilt view on enviormental issues between both political parties.Overall, helping save the environment, in my mind, is a top priority because it lacked support in past years. 

News Article: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/04/20/for-earth-day-heres-how-americans-view-environmental-issues/ 

     

Do Americans Care More About their Party than Democracy Itself?

    A new study out of Yale found that “only 3.5% of US voters would cast ballots against their preferred candidates as punishment for undemocratic behavior.” Such behaviors included gerrymandering, press restrictions, etc. Results did not vary for either party (Government Executive, 2020). This study implies that voters may be choosing their own party affiliation and values over democracy itself. Researchers noted this may have to do with political polarization, with each candidate becoming so separate each other, that the voter has too much to lose by not voting their party and votes them regardless of democratic values. 

    This makes us ask the question, do Americans still care about Democracy? Or is it now simply a two-party system that is putting party loyalty above any other values? Does this mean America could change from a Democracy to a new political system in the coming years if we remain on this trend? 

Sources

News article: https://www.govexec.com/management/2020/08/most-us-voters-value-party-over-democracy/167914/ 

Study #1: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/american-political-science-review/article/democracy-in-america-partisanship-polarization-and-the-robustness-of-support-for-democracy-in-the-united-states/C7C72745B1AD1FF9E363BBFBA9E18867

Has Democracy Lost its Luster?

A recent pew research report suggests that many people in the world are not satisfied with their democracy. Has democracy lost its luster?  Poland, Hungary, Brazil, are interesting case studies. They have populist, conservative leaders at the helm, yet they have varied responses. The United States is a shocker. Or is it really?  Especially when compared to its northern neighbor, Canada. Why do you think that there is such varied dissatisfaction with democracy?

Source: Pew Research Center: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/02/27/how-people-around-the-world-see-democracy-in-8-charts/   

The Canary in the Coalmine: Homosexuals in Uganda

Old miners used to send canaries into the coalmine to make sure that the mines were safe for the miners. If the canaries died -- the miners knew not to go into the mines. Homosexuals in Uganda are modern-day canaries in the coalmine -- and the government of Uganda is proposing to sentence them to life in prison for their homosexuality.

There is no such thing as "gay rights" in Uganda. For whatever reason, the Ugandan government has decided to one-up even the most homophobic leader in Africa: Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe.
Uganda now shares the same limelight as other human rights abusive regimes such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt in its treatment of homosexuals.

Ugandans, like many other Africans, refuse to believe that homosexuality could possibly be indigenous to the country. Not only is it a sin against nature, but it is a colonial import.
The reality is, that homosexuals are human beings -- just like heterosexuals. Until Ugandans and others realize that, human rights will be mere rhetoric.
Photo credit: CNN

South Africa: A Country of Contradictions

I recently returned from a 10-day intensive trip to Cape Town, South Africa. I was really excited because I had never traveled to South Africa before. I remember hearing and reading about Apartheid growing up, so I was eager to see how much progress had been made since the end of Apartheid in 1994.

A group of us from Franklin & Marshall College were going to see if we could set up a community-based learning program linked to our artificial soccer turf field in one of the largest and poorest townships in Cape Town, Khayelitsha. Having traveled throughout Sub-Saharan Africa in the past, I was prepared for poverty, and all the other issues that afflict developing countries. What I was not prepared for was the astounding contradictions and contrasts that make up 21st century South Africa.
Take the World Cup Soccer stadium for example. Or the impressive motorways and airport. The opulent restaurants and mansions hugging the rugged cliffs, making way to beautiful beaches. Beautiful beaches with beautiful people. After all, the New York Times Magazine just featured Cape Town as the place to be. What they didn't show was the other side of Cape Town. The side that people would like to ignore -- to pretend no longer exists with the end of apartheid.

That's the side that we focused on. The shacks of Khayelitsha where children still die from playing with live wires knocked over by oversized trucks -- or where women and children line up at boreholes to pump water for their daily meals. No bottles of "still or sparkling water" here. Here in Khayelitsha where the delicassay is "smilie" -- sheeps head -- not cavier -- although I personally don't know which is worse.

Cape Town is a place of hope and possibilities -- wealth and extravagence. Khayelitsha is a place where you are lucky if you are not shot and killed, or if you are a woman, raped and abused.
When you visit Cape Town and Khayelitsha, you have to exercise cognitive dissonance -- how else can you make sense of the two realities? I remember spending the better part of the afternoon walking through Khayelitsha (with protection from local residents of course) and then going for lunch at the waterfront in Cape Town. We strolled through a mall with Gucci stores, Tag Heur, and Channel. The latest colgnes and perfumes floated from the inviting stores. An hour earlier, we passed open air stalls with beef entrails, sheep's heads, and other animal body parts. The stores were pieced together scraps of corrugated iron and cardboard. Dried piss, charcoal and exhaust fumes scented our journey.

I still don't know what to make of my trip to Cape Town. It made me feel dirty inside. Not being in Khayelitsha -- but being in downtown Cape Town -- enjoying all the conveniences of home -- knowing that only a few miles away, people were struggling to stay alive. So if you go to Cape Town to enjoy the World Cup or some of the beautiful beaches and shops -- be sure to extend your visit to the townships -- that is of course, if you really want to see the real South Africa.

Mugabe leaves summit under pressure

At the end of our class session, we left on a defeating note that Mugabe has essentially won the one-man race in the election. However, it may be the case that Mugabe may be forced to leave; great distaste internationally has been expressed towards Mugabe's actions. This may be a hopeful and optimistic approach to the matter, but it seems that the people of Zimbabwe need just that.

The article summed up the actions of the AU meeting in Egypt. You can also see by the attached photo to the article, that Mugabe is clearly disturbed. This is a great contrast to the arrogance displayed when he won the election. Perhaps this could be a catalyst to ousting Mugabe and hopefully it is.