Opinion

Defending liberal democracy

photo_camera Gabriel Boric

The liberal democracy that emerged most strongly after the Second World War has been at the centre of the most stable period of economic growth and social welfare in history. Like any political and social system, it has also suffered from serious shortcomings and mistakes that its political representatives have been unable, unable or unwilling to address as required, and have allowed toxic, harmful, populist and nationalist options to gain ground in various Western countries, creating a very dangerous polarisation.

The course of events in Western countries with such deep-rooted democracy as the United States with the arrival of Donald Trump to the presidency; in the United Kingdom with Boris Johnson and Brexit; in Spain with a Prime Minister in the hands of communists, pro-independence and pro-terrorists; and in Latin America where the situation in Peru is unacceptable after the arrival to power of the extreme left and something similar could happen in a country like Chile where polarisation has resulted in a candidate of the extreme left and another of the extreme right.

There are many other examples that we could bring up, but the priority now is to point out the fundamental reasons why this degeneration of politics is taking place. The most relevant cause is that the principles and values of liberal democracy have not been defended as they should have been and that there has been no daily work to preserve a political and social system that is very positive for the majority of citizens, but which required effective and rapid responses to the problems that have become a general crisis.

In broad strokes we can see how the inefficiency and ineffective management of mediocre politicians who came to power thanks to their party work and corruption have been the main breeding grounds for populists and nationalists to promise what the most disadvantaged needed to hear because they suffered severe inequalities and to rally their support and that of the middle class hit by the crisis. Over the years many unacceptable interests have crossed the path of general interests and what seemed impossible has come about thanks to new technologies and social networks. The offensive of extreme left forces in Latin America using social networks and a strategy of disqualification and destabilisation has its pieces to collect in Chile and next year in Colombia, after winning in Peru and regaining Bolivia. Only Ecuador was able to resist. Liberal democracies must regain the initiative, defend themselves from the extreme left and the extreme right, use the economic, social and communication tools at their disposal and offer clear, viable and beneficial alternatives for all. Without complexes.