Democratic Systems Have a New Threat They Need to Contend With

Redistributive policies could prevent voters from being played but will require global cooperation

- Kaushik Basu

Democracy is under threat around the world, but not because dictators are overthrowing elected governments and seizing power. While authoritarian takeovers still make headlines, they are no longer the greatest threat to free societies. The real danger is more insidious: a gradual yet profound transformation of our democratic systems.

On the surface, these systems appear to be functioning as they should. Elections are being held, and voters are casting their ballots for leaders and parties they believe will represent their interests.

But too often, they end up electing politicians who serve only their own interests rather than those of their constituents. While gullibility is not new, it has become so pervasive that it now threatens the very foundation of democratic governance.

To understand how we got here, consider the ‘elé belé rule.’ When I was growing up in Calcutta (now Kolkata), all smart kids playing in the streets and parks knew the rule. When they played games in the neighbourhood, a younger kid—usually accompanied by a doting mother—occasionally would insist on joining them. Rather than refusing outright, the players would whisper to one another the code words “elé belé,” signalling that while the new kid could play along, he was not actually part of the game. If he scored a goal, we would cheer and applaud, but we all knew the truth: his goal didn’t count.