The crisis of liberal democracy in the XXI century – a comparative perspective

Abstract

The article presents the author's opinion about the collapse of liberal democracy. Partly this crisis is the result of the losing of belief – under the influence of the 2008 global financial crisis – that a market economy reasonably considered as the economic basis of liberal democracy is not stable and safe as it was thought to be. Populist movements of a nationalist and even racist character are gaining strength in this context. There is a growing disappointment among citizens, and especially the younger generations, which is appeared, among other, in the lower rates of participation in elections. There is a becoming of the new-type authoritarian regimes. Present wave of «authoritarian populism» expresses disappointments and dark moods of the social classes that have ceased to feel that their socio-economic position and cultural identity remain safe. The essence of the new authoritarianism is not a creation of very centralized management system in which all power would be concentrated in one ruling center. Not the only one, but very important cause of the current crisis of democracy is the growing economic polarization, the lack of reform of political institutions. Consideration should be given to the possibility of recalling parliamentarians, if they neglect their duties, by decision of the voters. The creation of a strong and able to open new perspectives political leadership is seen as a priority. Such leaders appear when politics becomes a struggle of great ideas.