How the light of democracy is fading

Here is a book full of ideas and observations that will have your head spinning and your brain thinking. Why do so many people in western states feel that their ways of thinking about political ideology are so right and struggle to understand the reasons why the light of liberal western democracy isn’t taken up with the same zealous zeal as it might be in Western Europe or as some in the United States. And it appears to be dying in the west also. However, in the past many couldn’t understand why so many people fought wars and died for governments that didn’t care about the people, but the idea of patriotism can be stronger than any political or thought ideology. Most of us seem to seek and want religion and authoritarian rule and others are doing this in many parts of the world. If you watch two children playing together, the most desirable toy is the one that the other child possesses rather than the choice of all the others that are freely available.

We are nothing more than the stories we tell ourselves to ourselves about ourselves that forms the psyche that has its own narrative. If you tell people they are free even if you press them and tell them they should say that they are free, it doesn't make them free or feel free but actually fills them with resentment.
Just because you feel free and you have the democracy system that you want in place, doesn't free you from the control that the captain of your mind creates. Beliefs and blind faith via religion or tribal ideology that can trump any idea of rationality and thus lead any country to its conclusion. And so it is with life. I grew up with Irish relationships and in the grip of catholic religion, and these things combined, overruled many a rational, liberal and kind thought to the tyrany of hell fire and god's judgement, often made in the ideal of what certain people thought. But it also gave unity, a sense of purpose and kind people encouraging others to good deeds.

We respond not to logical thoughts or reason but to a responsive and innate knee jerk or emotion. Most of us are instinctive rather than rational decision making machines. These things help me understand the themes in this book. And this book helps explain why national, patriotic, authoritarian and populism rule is becoming the norm as it has been for most of the last 20000 years - the light of empathy, tolerance and fairness and rights for all have been a brief light and others don’t share these rules, feel they make countries great and when so many Countries such as those in Eastern Europe have been drained by so many of the young people immigrating to the west (sometimes up to 1 in 4 almost have left some countries) that the vacuum is left for others who are older and more set in their ways to begin re-electing populist leaders who exploit imaginary fears (eg the influx of Muslims that aren’t arriving in their country) to hide their real fears (eg the loss of their most intelligent and young people leaving their own country). In the same way that once you start supporting a football team we will stick with it no matter how bad the team are performing, and so it is with political thought making and decision-making. Keep your argument simple, sell a fear, propose a solution no matter how invasive so long as you tap into that fear and maybe you’re probably going to win over the people that have control over.

This book’s main theme is the idea that many countries imitate other countries ideologies and ideas. After 1945, every country wanted to imagine imitating America, which meant taking on democracy, it’s buildings, it’s ideas and it’s liberal thinking while China was promoting Maoism, communism and one state rule. Most countries chose to imitate America’s ideas as they appeared the strong and wealthy country but slowly they have been more of the shift because Chinese colonialism and one party rule is more in line with their wish of governments to rule with totality whilst selling partroism, authoritarian rule and even dictatorship whilst saying their a democracy, especially of China who now just practising capitalism and building new roads in areas such as Asia and Africa and no longer exploiting a model (ie communism) to copy. And as America changes, people are no longer imitating the American model for changing the ideas within their own countries. This book looks at Hungary, Russia, America and China and these ideas of imitation – or in China’s case, no longer trying to inflict or care about others imitating it or forcing an ideology on others. It’s a powerful book that has done more to explain what is happening in our world than most others.
As Napoleon once said it's not what's true that matters it's what people think is true that matters. Other thoughts from this book:

A liberal is a man who cannot take his own side in an argument. So true. Is the reason that Liberal Democrats have failed is because it hasn’t given people what they want but only made them see what other people have got. This then leads to envy, jealousy and the desire for a type of revenge.

Populist often take one version of the past such as we were born 11,000 years ago when we were part of a mythical past and don’t need to be influenced by people who speak another language and do not share our views to sell their message that what they are striving for is right. However, many countries have many different pasts that often contradict one another. In England of the past there was the aristocracy and everyone else were labourers, serfs or servants which changed during the First World War and then people seek some golden age which was either between two world wars or just after one. And now people are angry with the current regime of liberal democracy and that choosing populism, nationalism, tribalism and conservative thinking might be better and fitmore with their narrative or the ones that their peers hold and share. But their invented past isn’t a reality, just their own version of their narrative. But it can be easier to explain and share. Examples of stories we tell ourselves: Americans are never referred to as immigrants even though they're nation of immigrants who never go anywhere, but those who live abroad are not referred to as immigrants but are known as expats. Yet the Chinese will even call people in another country that they are living or working in as foreigners.

One last thought in this book is that war is the most imitated form that mankind indulges in.

5 people found this helpful

Liberal hubris at its best

Although not the authors intent the arrogance and and self congratulatory tone and crowing virtue is a excellent example of how the elite are failing to understand as to why peoples across the world are turning against the globalist agenda.

4 people found this helpful

Disastrous narration

This is a very interesting book and congratulations to the authors. However, I have to comment on the narration which is absolutely horrendous. This type of dramatic narration is suited for fiction works (think George Orwell), not for non-fiction. Unnecessarily dramatic Intonation, probably unintentionally comical imitation of non-English words and names - it almost made me give up and order a hard copy of this book.

2 people found this helpful

Gripping analysis of the fall of western liberalism

The calamitous decline of Western liberalism has been the political story of the past decade. We are only beginning to see its impact on the world. You may agree or disagree with the analysis of its causes as noted in this book. This analysis is infinitely preferable to the hand wringing and self pity seen in liberal circles today. Personally, I believe that the liberal values of individual freedom and a government of checks and balances is overwhelmingly preferable to the unsavoury alternatives on offer. For me, liberalism has been poisoned by uncontrolled capitalism. Until it finds a way an alternative economic model, it has slim hope for a future.

2 people found this helpful

Really interesting listen

A really good and thought provoking book. Has certainly made me look at what's going on in the world in a different way. Sometimes I found the authors were disparaging of non liberal view points rather than sitting above it. However this didn't detract from the book and the points they raise which give a good overview of the past and present which sometimes can be difficult to appreciate.

1 person found this helpful

imitators, imposters, hypocrites and expropriators

A good guide for the goodwill but confused ones. Especially Polish and Hungarian example. I enjoyed it very much.

Hypothesis rather than history

Easy listening, accessible and enjoyable. Interesting observations and speculations ending with more questions than answers.

Superb narration of an important work

John Sackville's narration is to be applauded, especially as this is a work of contemporary politics which needed attention to nuance and specialist language.

Original and Insightful

A must read for students of populism. Linking the rise of Orban, Trump and Putin it traces the rise of populism to the hubris engendered by the collapse of Soviet Communism. It provides invaluable insights into the utility of blatant lying, the them and us xenophobic world view, and inclusiveness and exclusion. An important contribution to the growing study of anti-liberal populism.

1 person found this helpful

Chapter 1 alone......

Chapter 1 alone of this book is a brilliant summary of how the political and social balance has changed in Europe between 1989 and 2019 and should be essential reading for any students of Politics and Sociology and anyone else with the faintest interest in how European history may be written over the next 20 years. Brilliant book.