Like cars, personal computers and the human body, democracies must be fixed from time to time to work well. Today, millions of US and European citizens feel powerless and unrepresented in political and economic systems that respond inadequately to their needs. Mistrust of once deeply respected institutions is widespread. It is becoming fashionable to speak of a “democratic recession”, or worse, in western societies.
Every generation is tempted to think that its challenges are unique. History teaches otherwise. The first half of the 20th century encompassed the US Progressive Era, the New Deal and the British Liberal and Labour governments of 1906-14 and 1945-51. In each case, the motivating spirit of reform was the conviction that, to fight off crisis and build a better society, old forms of political representation and economic management must adapt to far-reaching social and industrial change.
Democracies can die — of that there should be no doubt. But they can also be modernised and restored to good working order, though never to permanent, perfect health. Much depends on the diagnosis and proposed remedies. In today’s conditions, although the two sets of problems overlap, it helps to distinguish between the need to improve democratic representation on the one hand, and the need to advance social cohesion and prosperity on the other.