We dangerously underestimate the risk of populism in this ultra-democratic era. American democracy is in danger of extinction. In an erudite New York Magazine article, Andrew Sullivan links Plato’s warning on late-stage democracy, the problematic role of our emotional mass media, the economic stagnation of the American middle class, identity politics, fascism, and people’s preference for oversimplified solutions to our complex problems – into a vigorous appeal to do anything possible to stop Trump.
The author, calls on the elite to up their game, to face the threat Trump really stands for. According to Sullivan this threat is “in terms of our liberal democracy and constitutional order, an extinction-level event.”
Of course, it might seem strange that we need elites in this democratic age, but they are needed to protect democracy from its “destabilizing excesses.”
I don’t see any good reasons why this analysis would not be applicable to European politics. Make sure you read it (warning: its length doesn’t fit the modern day attention span).
Some criticism coming in…
DANIEL PEPIJN VAN DIJK 