Is democracy losing steam globally?

During the Arab Spring, political pundits expressed the hope that we have seen the last dictators and monarchs of the Arab world. But the 'spring' ultimately ended in thunders with no rain to follow. If we look at Libya, following the departure of Col. Gaddafi, the country was gripped by madness for democratisation which ultimately turned into one of the epicentres of religious extremism and terrorism.

The architects of the Arab Spring most definitely failed to assess the socio-political environment of the Arab world. They wrongly interpreted the situation there. What they failed to understand was while democracy could be a feasible formula for the US and the Western countries or even some Afro-Asian nations, it simply was not workable in countries like China, DPRK (North Korea),Cuba, Russia and some other countries.

For decades China has been advancing both economically and technologically under 'people's autocracy '.This formula has already proved to be extremely effective for most of the developing nations. In Turkey the government of Erdogan has also replicated the same formula under cover of patriotism and strict Sharia rule.

Finally the emergence of President Xi Jinping as the truest descendant of Mao Zedong is nothing but requirement of time. People may disagree with me, but finally they too will realize that China and Russia made the right decision at the right time. People's autocracy will emerge in many other nations in the days to come.

M A Hossain

[email protected]