The new pathway of democracy

Post-war political institutions are now showing signs of fragility in many democratic countries. For several decades, voter turnout has been declining, while dissatisfaction with elected officials has been growing. More recently, populist parties challenging the status quo have received surprising support even in the oldest democracies, and social unrest has spread around the world. Even the procedural elements of democracy – such as election campaigns – that should allow for reasoned deliberation appear to be fueling polarization between opposing camps. According to a survey conducted by The Conference Board in 2022, political and governmental instability was the “biggest global challenge facing their company” identified by the most CEOs.
There is now an urgent need to understand the underpinnings of these troubling trends and to identify remedies. There is no shortage of ideas, starting with the invention of alternative voting rules and new spaces for discussion. But are these solutions really promising? And what role could companies, today’s worried bystanders, play tomorrow in consolidating our democracies?