The Framers’ Constitution - Democracy Journal
WEBFirst, at the very core of the Framers’ Constitution is the recognition that, in a self-governing society, courts must generally defer to the preferences of the majority. Although courts may always review governmental action to guard against the arbitrary or unreasonable, the starting point must be a presumption of judicial modesty.
PR and Presidentialism: Yes, We Can - Democracy Journal
WEBA myth haunts conversations about proportional representation in America. It is the belief that proportional representation requires a parliamentary system. We’re here to kill this myth. As comparative political scientists have long known, proportional representation can work well with a presidential system.
What History Teaches Us - Democracy Journal
WEBTagged Democrats History Populism progressivism The New Deal. The People’s Party or Populist Party of the early 1890s marked a departure in American politics. Populism mobilized millions of men and women—farmers and workers, middle class activists and urban reformers—to challenge corporate power. In doing so it made major political ...
What’s Next for American Democracy? - Democracy Journal
WEBPro-Trump protesters seen on and around the Capitol building in Washington, DC, on January 6, 2021. (Photo by Lev Radin/Sipa USA) (Sipa via AP Images) American democracy faces ongoing challenges that citizens of good will must understand and be prepared to address. Despite persisting through an attempted insurrection on January 6, …
How to Use Economic Power - Democracy Journal
WEBUsing economic power for economic ends is more likely to be effective and has the benefit of growing that power over the long term. Given the risks of weaponizing economics, Les cautioned that sanctions should meet a relatively high bar to have a good chance of success. Sanctions should be multilateral and include countries the target country ...
China’s Assertive Authoritarianism - Democracy Journal
WEBAssertive Authoritarianism. China’s transition from a country focused on protecting itself from international criticism to one actively promoting its values and norms on the global stage is reflected across four distinct dimensions. First, Xi Jinping has tried to ramp up Chinese soft power—the influence that derives from the attraction of a ...
Understanding the Gulf States - Democracy Journal
WEBFrom independence in the 1970s through the mid-’90s, Qatar was the most loyal ally of Saudi Arabia within the GCC. The ruler, Sheikh Khalifa, had no particular ambitions beyond his borders. Qatar kept a very low profile. After Khalifa was deposed by his son Sheikh Hamad in 1995, Qatari policy shifted dramatically.
The Challenge of India’s Democratic Backsliding - Democracy Journal
WEBFirst, the collapse of the communist model and India’s embrace of globalization and market economics in 1991 reoriented India’s focus westward. Second, India’s emergence as a nuclear-armed power and America’s willingness to incorporate India into the global civil nuclear regime, despite the fact it is not a signatory to the Non ...
Growing the Grassroots - Democracy Journal
WEBGrassroots organizing and movements are the necessary ingredients for fundamental change. Social movements throughout American history have always delivered at least three key elements necessary for significant and enduring change: agenda-setting, narrative change, and structural shift in institutions, rules, or policies.
The Future Of Democracy - Democracy Journal
WEBDemocracy is under attack around the world—from pervasive threats of mis- and disinformation, populist leaders weakening democratic institutions, China and Russia promoting authoritarianism as an alternate model, and the decay of bipartisanship and civility domestically. A recent report from Freedom House noted that 2020 was the “15 th ...