Democracy - Crises and Changes Across the Globe

Book excerpt: Since the Great Recession in 2008, the world has been going through a crisis of democracy that is changing the way we think about politics and society. Nowadays, it is ever more apparent that democracies have limitations and are susceptible to decline. This decline occurred with the expansion of powers of prime ministers and presidents, the increasing hostility against political opponents, the rise of ultra-right parties, and the growing political polarization. This book offers a fresh analysis of countries that have witnessed democratic decline such as Brazil, Mexico, Nigeria, Poland, and Spain. It also looks at examples of democratic innovations such as the use of digital politics (in Brazil and Hungary), the establishment of "democratic schools" (in Israel), the implementation of parenting norms (in Norway), and the response to domestic violence (in Germany and Iran). In addition, the book helps us learn more about how religion, the party system, and the growth of renewable resources affect democratic politics.