The Democracy Perception Index (DPI) issued its 2024 report on May 8, revealing important and interesting shifts in global perceptions about democracy, geopolitics and international relations.
The conclusions in the report were based on the views of over 62 thousand respondents from 53 countries – roughly representing 75 percent of the world’s total population. The survey was conducted between February 20th and April 15th, 2024, when the world was largely consumed by the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip.
It is important to note that the Index, though informative, is itself conceived in a biased context as it is the product of a global survey conducted by western-based companies and organizations. In fact, the results of DPI were published ahead of a scheduled 2024 Copenhagen Democracy Summit, whose speakers will include Hillary Clinton, US Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell and President of the European Council, Charles Michel.
The first speaker listed on the conference website is Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the Founder and Chairman of the Alliance of Democracies Foundation – which commissioned the Index. All of this is reflected in the kind of questions which are being asked in the survey, placing greater emphasis on whether, for example, ties should be cut with Russia over Ukraine, and China over a war that is yet to take place in Taiwan.
These major shortcomings notwithstanding, the outcome of the research remains interesting and worthy of reflection. Below are some major takeaways from the Index: One, there is growing dissatisfaction with the state of democracy, and such discontent is not limited to peoples living in countries perceived as non-democratic but include peoples in the US and Europe, as well.
Two, democracy, in the collective awareness of ordinary people, is not a political term – often infused as part of official propaganda. When seen from the viewpoint of people, it is a practical notion, whose absence leads to dire implications. For example, 68% of people worldwide believe that economic inequality at home is the greatest threat to democracy. Three, also on the topic of ‘threat to democracy’, growing mistrust of Global Corporations (60%), Big Tech (49%) and their resulting Economic Inequality (68%) and Corruption (67%) lead to the unmistakable conclusion that conclusion that western globalization has failed to create the proper environment for social equality, empower civil society or build democratic institutions. The opposite, based on people’s own perception, seems to be true.
Four, global priorities, as seen by many nations around the world, remain committed to ending wars, poverty, hunger, combating climate change, etc. However, this year’s top priority among European countries, 44%, is also centered on reducing immigration, a significant number compared to the 24% who prioritize fighting climate change. Five, the world is divided between cutting ties with Russia and China, although again, the selection of the question reeks with bias.
Ramzy Baroud is a journalist
and the Editor of The Palestine Chronicle. He is the author of five books. His latest is “These Chains Will Be Broken: Palestinian Stories of Struggle and Defiance in Israeli Prisons” (Clarity Press, Atlanta). Dr. Baroud is a Non-resident Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Islam and Global Affairs (CIGA), Istanbul Zaim University (IZU). His website is www.ramzybaroud.net
Source: CounterPunch
