Slipping Away: The Alarming Decline of Democracy in the U.S.
Sliding Toward Autocratic Rule in the U.S.: The Degree of Descent Remains Unclear
From the halls of power to the mainstream media, the consensus is clear: the United States, once a beacon of democracy, is no longer the same. Many see the Trump administration as a major blow to the nation's political system, with U.S. democracy teetering on the brink of autocracy. But can this slide be stopped, or is it irreversible?
President Donald Trump's tenure has been marked by attacks on various pillars of democracy: the separation of powers, equality before the law, freedom of speech and free press, and even interferences in education, research, and culture. (Elaboration: We delve deeper into each of these areas here.)
Experts agree: the U.S. is slipping towards autocracy, albeit with an uncertain trajectory. It's challenging to keep pace with the government's moves, but it's evident that the bulldozer of the initial months has slowed down, and the big picture is clearer.
The Dangers of a Slippery Slope
Trump and his allies are undermining the democratic system in multiple ways. In the agencies, anti-corruption controls have been abolished, and equal opportunity measures dismantled, allegedly due to "racism against whites." Similar efforts are underway in schools and universities. The president aims to maximize his power within the executive, while keeping only the supreme court's conservative majority rulings as his only real limit.
The general public and more than 700 scientists view this situation extremely critically. In a regular survey on the state of the political system in the U.S., the country's score dropped from 67 to 49 after Trump's first 100 days—the lowest score since the survey's inception in 2017.
On the scale between a perfect democracy and a pure dictatorship, the U.S. is closer to a dictatorship than Mexico but still further away than Hungary. The gray area of a competitive autocracy exists, in which elections do take place, but the powers manipulate these elections to stay in power, like in Hungary, Turkey, and Venezuela.
A Glimpse into the Future of the U.S.?
Trump's administration has undeniably weakened America's democratic foundations, with some tying it to the damage since the fall of Reconstruction, the period following the end of the Civil War in 1865. Trump, they argue, is attempting to exercise a presidency that disregards the Constitution's constraints on Congress and the courts, effectively bypassing written law whenever he wishes.
This power grab harkens back to historian Timothy Snyder's analysis from early 2017: "Of course, it's a coup." In his view, billionaire Elon Musk and his cohorts had gained unlawful access to U.S. ministries and sensitive databases. The courts have since stopped some of these measures or, at the very least, curbed their impact.
However, as long as Trump is in office, any changes he has initiated will likely persist. In many respects, the Trump administration's manipulations serve as a warning to the public and potential future presidents of the power of unrestricted control.
Sources: ntv.de, Merkur.de, Cnn.com
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- The European Union is following the alarming slide towards autocracy in the United States with growing concern, recognizing that the erosion of democracy in the U.S. could have far-reaching implications for democratic values globally.
- In the wake of the Trump administration's policies and legislation, some experts suggest that the administration's moves on whatsapp encryption and crime-and-justice reforms could set a dangerous precedent in the field of politics and legislation.
- As the U.S. grapples with war-and-conflicts and crime-and-justice issues under the Trump administration, the European Union has agreed to support and engage with American democratic institutions to protect their immunity and continue promoting democratic values.
- While the general news media has played a crucial role in highlighting the challenges facing U.S. democracy during the Trump administration, it's essential that the press maintains its role as a critical watchdog and ensures that truth and accountability remain essential components of American democracy.
- In the aftermath of the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, there is a growing recognition among political pundits that the United States can no longer afford to take its democratic foundations for granted; from the halls of power to the classrooms, preserving and strengthening democracy must become a top priority for the nation.
