WORLD DISORDER
If democracy itself is doomed, where are we headed?
Democracy is not a destination nor a panacea. It must be seen as a culture, a permanent work in progress
The world appears to be in more than its usual disorder. Religion is dividing societies and nations and, where religion is not doing it, poverty and inequality are. Ask Islamic State and Thomas Piketty. Homeless millions are migrating. The globe is overpopulated as well as overheated. Plastic is choking our oceans, antibiotics barely work anymore and robots are about to steal our jobs. With Donald Trump as president, the US is thought by liberals to be doomed. With Brexit scheduled, Britain is thought by liberals to be doomed. The EU is thought to be doomed by conservatives. With North Korea’s Kim Jong-un defiantly building his nuclear arsenal, people fear the world is doomed. Here in SA, with President Jacob Zuma’s ANC intent on ruling until Jesus comes, the opposition is satisfied the country is doomed already. The menace behind these events is that something fundamental is doomed, not just the politicians and governments of the day. Democracy was supposed to get things right when...
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