Greetings. It's Friday, June the 21st, 2024. Welcome to the Daily Article podcast. Today's article

is written by Dr. Jim Denison and narrated by Chris Elkins of the Denison Forum. It might not surprise

you to learn that last year saw the highest number of state-based conflicts in the world since 1946.

The number of battle deaths was driven mainly by Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine and the war

initiated by Iranian proxy Hamas against Israel. Non-state actors like Hezbollah in Lebanon

and drug cartels in Mexico are responsible for much of the violence as well.

Here's what such instigators of violence have in common.

They are all autocracies. Related stories in the news.

Russian soldiers are raping women and attempting to erase evangelical churches in occupied Ukraine.

Vladimir Putin is increasing his alliance with North Korea

and deepening relations with Vietnam following his quote-unquote new era of partnership with

communist China. Iran is accelerating its nuclear program. China continues modernizing and expanding

its nuclear arsenal. Again, all autocracies.

According to Pew Research Center, a majority of people around the world are dissatisfied with

the way democracy is working. By contrast, another Pew study finds that more than eight in 10

adults in Hong Kong and Taiwan say democracy is a good way to govern. Note that

democracy is threatened by autocracy in both places. Interestingly, one of the chief complaints of

those who are dissatisfied with democracy has to do not with the system, but with those leading it.

61% do not agree that, quote, elected officials

care what ordinary people think. And so, as we noted yesterday, democracy works to the degree

that the people who vote and the leaders they elect are people of virtue capable of self-governance.

There's another issue threatening our democratic

...