Democracy undermined

 

The two major democracies that are always held up as examples to the rest of the world struggling to find their way to democracy themselves are Britain and the USA. Yet in recent times both these countries have faced problems and derision in the way people have reacted to the democratic process.

Three events come to mind in short order first the refusal of some Scottish Nationalists to accept the outcome of the referendum back in 2014 with people demonstrating on the streets and then came the surprise Brexit vote after which there was a massive campaign to overturn the vote despite there being a result in favour. 

Now President Trump has refused to accept defeat in the US Presidential elections making claims of electoral fraud without any evidence and wanting to actually prevent peoples votes from being counted. It's no wonder that the enemies of democracy crowed about Americas failures.

The condemnation of Trump in this country has come from many who themselves refused to accept a ballot result. The only thing that should matter is the outcome of a vote. Like it or not both left and right in the two major democracies, particularly in the UK have been hypocritical about democracy only wanting to accept results they want.

These are dangerous times and democracy has always been fragile from the very beginning. Even the nascent ideas of democracy in ancient Greece were only saved thanks to the heroic stand of the 300 at Thermopylae who gave time for the rest of Greeks time to regroup.

At the height of Hitler 's war democracies had become very few and far between. The resulting "Cold War" so easily forgotten these days saw the "Free World" under constant threat with Communist dictatorships covering so much of the world.

The end of the Soviet Union seems to have only created a temporary window for democracy as so many authoritarian regimes arise out of the ashes. Belarus remains Stalinist, Hungary is heading to the far right and Poland is fighting a battle against theocracy as people rebel  over the domination of the Catholic Church. 

Elsewhere aggressive Islamic regimes are taking hold and freedom especially women's and minority rights have become under threat. Mobs murder Christians for perceived "blasphemies, other in countries like Brunei non-Muslims are subject to severe punishments under Sharia Law and even Christmas cannot be openly celebrated.

According to The Times yesterday (no link£):

"What a spectacle" Ayatollah Ali Khammenei Iran's supreme leader said as post election paralysis set in. "One says this this is the most fraudulent election in US history. Who says that? The president currently in office!"

The paper also reported that Putin's regime spokesman was quoted as saying  the shenanigans "show the shortcomings of the American electoral system".  A Chinese newspaper was quoted as saying that the chaos made the US "look like a developing country.

The damage done by all these events will leave Britain and particularly the USA being in a difficult position to lecture the real fraudsters like Maduro in Venezuela and Kim Jong-Il.

Meanwhile in the UK the Law Commission is proposing to extend the jurisdiction "Hate speech" legislation to private homes in England & Wales. Even dinner table or conversations in the front room could lead people being subject to prosecution. This is a step too far for a democracy. 

Already in Scotland proposals by the Scottish parliament could lead someone being prosecuted for just criticising certain faiths let alone satire. No ideology, religion or set of beliefs have rights only people have rights.

The need to defend freedom of speech and expression has never been greater. Someone somewhere is always bound to be offended by something. I've been told by one Christian woman she is offended by my atheism and belief there is no god. Grounds for prosecution? I think not. Cartoons about so-called prophets are no different.

Free Speech is under threat. Defend it or lose it. Without free speech there will be no democracy.