The Fragility of Democracy and Its Double-Edged Nature

Abstrakt

This article argues that ‘democracy’ has become a largely unquestioned legitimizing principle in contemporary politics, while anti-democratic projects increasingly operate through democratic labels (e.g., ‘people’s’, ‘Islamic’, ‘guided’, ‘true’ democracy). It traces how technological change (especially the internet) reopens the question of direct versus representative rule, intensifying tensions between popular sovereignty, expertise, and accountability. The paper also highlights institutional distortions (party convergence, judicial overreach, blurred separation of powers) and the growing gap between democracy’s liberal and majoritarian components. Finally, it compares non-Western reinterpretations of democracy (Islamic, Hindutva, Confucian / ‘Asian values’) and assesses how media ecosystems and AI may further amplify manipulation, oligarchic drift, or authoritarian capture.