Order, Liberty, and Chaos

For the past several years, we have witnessed the rise of leaders and movements that are bent on destroying democracy and replacing it with autocracies or outright dictatorships – all with the support of significant portions of their electorates. 

The post-war bipolar world ended in 1991. Most observers expected Russia to transition from dictatorship to democracy. However, the chaos of the Yeltsin years led to the election of Vladimir Putin in 1999 and the subsequent return to dictatorship with the backing of many Russians.

Eastern Europe also went from dictatorships to democracies. Yet, as Europe turned towards a more liberal immigration regime, and began to accept hundreds of thousands of Muslim refugees, this perceived threat to local cultures led to nationalist autocratic governments rising in Poland and Hungary, and in similar extremist parties gaining strength in much of the continent.

The order apparently provided by strong cultures and borders gave way to perceptions that they are weakened by the growing multiculturalism and loosening of borders within the European Union. The free flow of people across borders and from outside of Europe has led to perceptions by many of a weakening of the predominant culture in many countries. The shift from a liberal outlook towards one of ultranationalism and protection of traditional cultures is necessary to preserve the national character of society.

This trend shifted to North America with the election in 2016 of Donald Trump, and his almost complete takeover of the Republican Party. The transition towards the right began in 1973 with the decision of the Supreme Court to allow unrestricted abortions across the country. This led to a coalition between the extreme right and Christian conservatives that has strengthened into a highly powerful mass movement that eventually brought Trump to power. 

Today that coalition has taken control of the Republican party and deeply divided the country.

Philosopher and historian Will Durant once wrote that “Civilization begins with order, grows with liberty, and dies with chaos”. Durant defined civilization as social order that promotes cultural creation. Order appears to be at odds with personal freedom and creative liberty, but it is, instead, often a tense, delicate balance between the two. If social order is too strong, freedom is restricted. If social order is too weak, cooperation is not enabled to the degree to create a cooperative civil society.

Order for many would appear to be strong national cultures and borders, and respect for the wishes of the majority. In Europe, order seemed to have been replaced by pan-Europeanism in which a small bureaucracy in Brussels superseded the national parliaments. The United Nations, the World Economic Forum (WEF), and other international organizations lead many to believe that world government is surreptitiously replacing national governments, and citizens’ ability to influence local policy and direction.

In the U.S., order had been settled by various laws governing civil rights, civil liberties, and anti-religious policies – leading many Americans to hanker for simpler times of more defined social parameters and boundaries. Liberty cannot be absolute, or a society falls into chaos, and the struggle between different concepts of liberty is at the core of today’s dilemma.

History is cyclical.

The frustrations of the early 20th century led to communism and fascism. Today, the feelings of being alienated from centers of power plagues millions vulnerable to the siren songs of populists and autocrats. 

As long as these feelings of alienation are not addressed successfully by democratic leaders everywhere, they will continue to be a threat to liberal democracies.

Keep reading: Wokeness and Business

Edición: Fernando Sierra