Distressed democracy: Is ‘Trump threat’ overrated in US politics? Experts debate and stand divided

The deepening political divide, institutional distrust and economic anxieties raise pressing questions about whether American democracy is merely distressed or undergoing an irreversible transformation Jane Holl Lute, President and Chief Executive Officer, SICPA, United States of America and Max Abrahms, Northeastern University, US participate in the session Distressed Democracy hosted by Gautam Chikermane, Vice President, Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi participate Distressed Democracy at Firstpost’s IdeasPod as part of the annual Raisina Dialogue organised by Observers Research Foundation in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs Democracy, often celebrated as the pillar of modern governance, faces unprecedented challenges today, political scientists across the world issue this warning more than ever. This was the focus of a session titled “Distressed Democracy” at Firstpost’s IdeasPod, held as part of the annual Raisina Dialogue, organised by the Observer Research Foundation in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs. He said, “There’s been a huge transformation within the GOP and some of Trump’s biggest political adversaries have actually been Republicans, the so-called Never Trumpers, right?” Trump’s political appeal, according to Abrahms, extends beyond traditional Republican values, incorporating themes historically associated with the Democratic Party, such as economic policies aimed at supporting the working class. And some have argued that over the past dozen or more years, the left or the progressive wing of the Democratic Party has been pushing an equality of outcome agenda, not an equality of opportunity agenda.” A system in flux While Trump’s rise has been emblematic of deeper frustrations within the electorate, broader forces of economic disparity, political polarisation and institutional distrust continue to shape the nation’s future.