How to kill a democracy
Analysis
BBC
4.6 • 1K Ratings
🗓️ 5 November 2018
⏱️ 29 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
How many democracies around the world are gradually being dismantled. Democracies today are less and less likely to be overthrown in violent coups. Today’s methods of establishing one party rule are much more subtle and insidious. Political scientist Professor Matt Qvortrup explores how the modern authoritarian leader takes control of his or her country. High on their list will be subtly manipulating elections to win with a comfortable but credible majority: appointing their own supporters to the judiciary whilst watering down their powers: silencing critics in the press while garnering positive coverage from their media supporters: punishing opponents by denying them employment while rewarding lackeys with key positions. And using technology to help rig votes and spread propaganda. Matt traces these methods back to Roman times while looking at their contemporary relevance in countries as diverse as Kenya, Poland, Hungary, and Venezuela. Producer: Bob Howard
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Just before this BBC podcast gets underway, here's something you may not know. |
| 0:04.6 | My name's Linda Davies and I Commission Podcasts for BBC Sounds. |
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| 0:38.0 | BBC Sounds, Music Radio Podcasts. |
| 0:41.0 | Thanks for listening to analysis, the podcast about the ideas behind podcasts. the techniques authoritarian rulers are using to ensure they stay in power. Thousands of people attending an election rally, but the outcome isn't in too much doubt. |
| 1:10.0 | The incumbent is expecting to get between 55 to 65% of the vote, |
| 1:15.4 | enough to be comfortable but also credible. manipulating elections is just one of the ways in which democracies around the world are being salami sliced by a new breed of Liedem. |
| 1:35.0 | Only 45% of countries in the world can even be normally described now as democratic, |
| 1:41.0 | according to research by the watchdog Freedom House. |
| 1:45.0 | 20 years ago, it was around 60%. |
| 1:49.4 | And a quarter of the countries and experienced Democratic backsliding were in Europe. |
| 1:54.4 | I'm Matt Kortrip, Professor Political Science, and in this week's analysis I'm asking |
| 1:59.2 | whether the Goldbrated General, relying on the bloody coup, has had its day. |
| 2:06.4 | Democracy is now rarely succumbed to violent overthrows. |
| 2:09.9 | Instead, they are being undermined by rigged elections and cunning abuse of the legal system. |
| 2:15.0 | Strong men are dismantling democracy brick by brick, death by a thousand cuts. |
| 2:28.0 | Democracy ends not with a bang but with a whimper. It kind of fades out as it's hollowed out from the inside. |
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