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Of Paradoxical Democracies and Dissent: South Korea’s Five Republics
Deliver in response to popular demands — it’s a simple motto that populist leaders now use like a dead metaphor. ‘Global leaders’ count on a strengthened majority oft-equated with the masculine, a weakened opposition, and nationalistic sentiments for the sustenance of their administration. Nevertheless, they can’t be called fascists or dictators in the historic sense of these terms. And this is precisely why their escape from amnesty radars becomes easier.
Increased industrial outputs, economic advancements, and improved ranking in terms of modernization in countries ruled by such administrations earn them praise from others. When weighed against these achievements, the restrictions on democratic proceedings are neglected. In times of crisis like the current pandemic, such governments get an additional boost through centralization. Dissent, instead of being welcomed as a safety valve for the democracy, gets side-lined as a menace. The drivers of the menace are conveniently erased. If this does not sound like the dystopian world of Big Brother, what would?
Be it Trump’s USA, Xi’s China, Bolsonaro’s Brazil, or Erdogan’s Turkey, the authoritarian undercurrents are evident, although masked by an apparent egalitarian approach. But little do these leaders find their names alongside ‘greats’ like Hitler or…
