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民主在退潮：民主還會讓我們的世界變得更好嗎？
如果民主並不承諾更好的生活，那我們還要追求民主嗎？
為什麼中產階級會反叛？代議政治會衰敗？
一場世界性的變化正在悄然發生，這場百年來難得一見的巨變，正在等待我們做出選擇。
科藍茲克把先前為人們所忽略的東西呈現在讀者眼前，幾乎沒有別的書像此書一般，如此徹底且廣泛地探討這個主題。
－－珊曼莎•萊區（Samantha F. Raitch）《Marketization and Democracy: East Asian Experiences》一書作者
■民主仍然是一種普世價值嗎？
民主曾被認為是普世價值，
但今日的世界，
核心的民主大國經濟普遍缺乏成長，行政缺乏效力，
新興民主國家軍方勢力抬頭，人民也不再認為民主是一種好的選擇；
反之，中國以自身的經驗走出了自己的一條路，一肩扛起世界經濟復甦的責任，
中國的體制，讓許多新興國家眼前為之一亮，被視為是一種新的發展方向。
面對世界的變局，
民主是否仍然還是一帖萬靈丹？
又或者，如果民主仍是一種普世價值，那麼民主只有一種方式嗎？
■世界發生了什麼改變？
•70%的新加坡選民2015年大選時再度選擇了一黨專政的人民行動黨，
因為他們害怕國家經濟會因政治更加民主而崩壞。
•當美國在對各國的民主進度指指點點時，他們連在國會通過預算都做不到，
美國人民對體制不滿的人數日趨上漲。
•中國的成長穩定了金融海嘯之後的全球經濟，不經任何政治改革就能引領高成長，
「中國模式」成為許多國家紛紛仿效的對象。
•泰國拋棄專制轉向民主後，原本支持民主的中產階級竟然回頭擁抱專制，
此後政變不斷，國家經濟整體停滯不前。
•1989年的阿拉伯之春，曾被認為是民主的勝利，但結果卻使得中東政局不停輪替，
結果是帶向混亂。
■我們是否還需要民主，或需要什麼樣的民主？
從2000年代中後期開始的新一波民主退潮，是全球性的，
範圍之大、影響之廣，超越想像。
以美國為唯一強權主導的西方民主體系開始衰退，
被視為是民主中堅的中產階級轉而不再支持民主，甚至開始背叛民主，
民主與經濟成長是否真的互相關聯，則已成為眾人的問號。
被認為是民主推手的互聯網成了民主的兩面刃，
結果是讓民主制度進入在經濟、教育、社會上都尚未準備好的國家，
讓民主更快退潮，讓這些在民主發展中國家的男男女女付出慘痛的代價。
更不用說當新興國家的主權與利益被成熟民主國家以民主與人權為由被侵害的時候，
執政者與人民都不可能覺得必須站在民主的一方。
如果民主仍然是我們長期最好的選擇，那麼我們要的是什麼樣的民主？
為什麼中產階級會反叛？代議政治會衰敗？
一場世界性的變化正在悄然發生，這場百年來難得一見的巨變，正在等待我們做出選擇。
科藍茲克把先前為人們所忽略的東西呈現在讀者眼前，幾乎沒有別的書像此書一般，如此徹底且廣泛地探討這個主題。
－－珊曼莎•萊區（Samantha F. Raitch）《Marketization and Democracy: East Asian Experiences》一書作者
■民主仍然是一種普世價值嗎？
民主曾被認為是普世價值，
但今日的世界，
核心的民主大國經濟普遍缺乏成長，行政缺乏效力，
新興民主國家軍方勢力抬頭，人民也不再認為民主是一種好的選擇；
反之，中國以自身的經驗走出了自己的一條路，一肩扛起世界經濟復甦的責任，
中國的體制，讓許多新興國家眼前為之一亮，被視為是一種新的發展方向。
面對世界的變局，
民主是否仍然還是一帖萬靈丹？
又或者，如果民主仍是一種普世價值，那麼民主只有一種方式嗎？
■世界發生了什麼改變？
•70%的新加坡選民2015年大選時再度選擇了一黨專政的人民行動黨，
因為他們害怕國家經濟會因政治更加民主而崩壞。
•當美國在對各國的民主進度指指點點時，他們連在國會通過預算都做不到，
美國人民對體制不滿的人數日趨上漲。
•中國的成長穩定了金融海嘯之後的全球經濟，不經任何政治改革就能引領高成長，
「中國模式」成為許多國家紛紛仿效的對象。
•泰國拋棄專制轉向民主後，原本支持民主的中產階級竟然回頭擁抱專制，
此後政變不斷，國家經濟整體停滯不前。
•1989年的阿拉伯之春，曾被認為是民主的勝利，但結果卻使得中東政局不停輪替，
結果是帶向混亂。
■我們是否還需要民主，或需要什麼樣的民主？
從2000年代中後期開始的新一波民主退潮，是全球性的，
範圍之大、影響之廣，超越想像。
以美國為唯一強權主導的西方民主體系開始衰退，
被視為是民主中堅的中產階級轉而不再支持民主，甚至開始背叛民主，
民主與經濟成長是否真的互相關聯，則已成為眾人的問號。
被認為是民主推手的互聯網成了民主的兩面刃，
結果是讓民主制度進入在經濟、教育、社會上都尚未準備好的國家，
讓民主更快退潮，讓這些在民主發展中國家的男男女女付出慘痛的代價。
更不用說當新興國家的主權與利益被成熟民主國家以民主與人權為由被侵害的時候，
執政者與人民都不可能覺得必須站在民主的一方。
如果民主仍然是我們長期最好的選擇，那麼我們要的是什麼樣的民主？
320 pages, Paperback
First published March 5, 2013
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172 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 17, 2013
Kurlantzick's book's focus is heavily weighted toward analyzing trends, using statistical data and international ratings to assess the current state of democracy worldwide. But it comes up short on analysis, and it begs the question: so what? The book provides a fairly convincing case for the decline of democracy in the 2000s, but the author doesn't fully explain the significance or implications of his findings.
May 9, 2022
Both a timely and foresightful read. It was written in 2012/2013 and has some interesting takes on what would happen that did or didn't as I read it in 2022. The execution of the underlining theory was really good and his optimism that democracy will be okay was much appreciated.
September 14, 2014
Disappointment in Democracy
This is more of a treatise than a piece of literary nonfiction, and as with most such pieces of writing, the overlong title virtually tells the story. The author has done an admirable job of collecting data and anecdotes to support his thesis here, which is one of high hopes dashed.
The U.S., he writes, has been the primary nation actively trying to export democracy, and perhaps too over zealous in doing so. His concern isn’t our misadventures in Vietnam, South America and more recently, Iraq. Instead, it’s our more peaceful efforts to create democracies around the world. However, there has been all too much emphasis on the various electoral processes in doing so, and too little emphasis on policies, including the educational, to support permanent democratic reform. As a result, many democracies of the twentieth century have failed,returning to oligarchies, dictatorships, or other, more repressive forms of representative government.
The poor, of course, have borne the primary disappointments here, but in many countries, the middle classes have become disenchanted with the democratic process. In all too many cases, upsetting the status quo has shrunken and disturbed the middle classes, which were both part of the ladder of societal ascendance and a buffer between poor and risk, disenfranchised and powerful. Much of the frustration here has been that more repressive societies, such as China, seem to achieve economic success while many democratic countries founder economically due to the decision-making inefficiencies of most democratic states.
To this reader, the author spends too much time citing one case history after another and too little trying to map our way of his quagmire. Still he does a service in tacitly insisting that perhaps democracy is a product of social evolution - little more than a mere accident in the establishment of the U.S.
My rating: 15 of 20 stars
This is more of a treatise than a piece of literary nonfiction, and as with most such pieces of writing, the overlong title virtually tells the story. The author has done an admirable job of collecting data and anecdotes to support his thesis here, which is one of high hopes dashed.
The U.S., he writes, has been the primary nation actively trying to export democracy, and perhaps too over zealous in doing so. His concern isn’t our misadventures in Vietnam, South America and more recently, Iraq. Instead, it’s our more peaceful efforts to create democracies around the world. However, there has been all too much emphasis on the various electoral processes in doing so, and too little emphasis on policies, including the educational, to support permanent democratic reform. As a result, many democracies of the twentieth century have failed,returning to oligarchies, dictatorships, or other, more repressive forms of representative government.
The poor, of course, have borne the primary disappointments here, but in many countries, the middle classes have become disenchanted with the democratic process. In all too many cases, upsetting the status quo has shrunken and disturbed the middle classes, which were both part of the ladder of societal ascendance and a buffer between poor and risk, disenfranchised and powerful. Much of the frustration here has been that more repressive societies, such as China, seem to achieve economic success while many democratic countries founder economically due to the decision-making inefficiencies of most democratic states.
To this reader, the author spends too much time citing one case history after another and too little trying to map our way of his quagmire. Still he does a service in tacitly insisting that perhaps democracy is a product of social evolution - little more than a mere accident in the establishment of the U.S.
My rating: 15 of 20 stars
September 1, 2014
Twenty-five years after Francis Fukuyama published his famous 'End of History' article in the The National Interest, liberal democracy is, far from being on the march, seemingly in retreat in many regions around the world. While the author points our various reasons for this, four in particular stand out: slow growth and inequality, corruption, Western weakness, and the existence of a successful, non-democratic development model in China. Since none of these factors seem to be lessening any time soon, the prospect for a prolonged 'democratic recession' seem assured.
Overall, a dispiriting and depressing read. We seem to be in the midst of a '30s or '70s moment.
Overall, a dispiriting and depressing read. We seem to be in the midst of a '30s or '70s moment.
October 31, 2018
Published in 2013, this book looks at democratic backsliding in several developing countries. The author considers the possible reasons for this, including the rise of China and the decline of the US and Western model. He also looks at how Russia and China tried to undermine democracy in countries in their "spheres of influence." He finishes with some suggestions for how the US can better work to promote democracy. The book is well-written, and if anything, the situation has gotten worse since it was published. Hopefully, the author will publish a sequel and discuss the state of democracy in the western world.
August 19, 2013
A very interesting book that explains clearly and thoroughly the reasons for the recent failings of democracy and in democratic spirit round the world. In particular it attacks the ideas of democracy being linked to economic growth and that the middle class drives democratic reform.
Already slightly outdated though regarding the Arab Spring, due to the rapid events in Tunisia, Libya and especially Egypt and Syria. The book can't really be blamed for this though.
Already slightly outdated though regarding the Arab Spring, due to the rapid events in Tunisia, Libya and especially Egypt and Syria. The book can't really be blamed for this though.
July 8, 2014
There is lots of good history lessons and loads of statistical data in this book, however, it never comes together in a tangible way. I found this book very hard to get and stay engaged with, I only finished it so as to say I gave it a fair shake before writing a review.
September 29, 2018
大量的數據來描述各民主政府面對經濟不振、貪汚、社會不穩定、貧富差距大和社會不公平等問題。
但是只有數據與事實，缺乏觀點。
但是只有數據與事實，缺乏觀點。
August 12, 2016
Interesting and thought provoking.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews