I’m pleased to present to you the 27th issue of the Sustainable Development Observer for 2024 where we focus on the state of democracy with different shades and definitions.
In the articles we are presenting to you, we hope to raise questions – rather than answers – on how democracy could help in the achievement of the SDGs. We also look at the looming threats to democracy, especially with the links to non-IDN articles we provide in this issue.
In our first article we question whether India is really the world’s biggest democracy and what is bugging its democratic credentials? We also look at how Japan’s PM is struggling for survival.
In December I visited an interesting village community near Wuhan in China, where I witnessed an interesting model of grassroots democracy in China, which I thought was worthy of exploration by other countries, especially in the Global South. We publish here the report I did from there.
Zimbabwe was always in the news when Prime Minister Robert Mugabe was challenging the West. Since his demise, nothing much seems to have changed but we hardly hear about it. Here is a chance to get an update on democracy – or lack of it – in the southern African country – go to page 10.
In the immediate post-independence era, Nkrumah and other independent-minded pan-African leaders were often silenced by western powers. Now, a new generation of such young leaders, seem to be coming up. But, they are being silence by Africa’s own rulers it seems – go to page 11 for an update.
World’s other poster boy of democracy is also in trouble as we know. We bring you a viewpoint on whether US democracy is heading towards a dictatorial model of “minority rules’ politics.
Recently, during the elections in Bangladesh we heard a lot of reports via the western media in particular about how a “rigged election” has helped Shiek Hasina to continue her long reign as Prime Minister. Contrary to what the western media says, the very fact the opposition boycotted the elections may be because they knew they had no chance of winning. If you read the article we present on page 17 you would learn why.
Hope you will enjoy reading some diverse views on the state of democracy around the world.
World Through UnWestern Lense 