One of the most dangerous myths about democratic norms is that they collapse only when a majority rejects them.

That’s rarely how it happens.

When violations of dignity, equality, or restraint are repeated often enough, and face few consequences, the boundaries of what feels acceptable begin to move.

Not all at once. But steadily.

That is how the moral environment of a society changes.
https://associationredefine.substack.com/p/before-the-violence-there-were-speeches?r=6l8ed8

#Democracy #RuleOfLaw #PoliticalDiscourse #DemocraticBacksliding

Obama’s Calm Reply to Trump’s Racist Meme Missed a Five-Alarm Moment

Dr. Eddie Glaude argues Obama’s polished reply to Trump’s racist meme failed to confront the urgency of rising authoritarian politics.

Achieving meaningful lives within planetary boundaries?

"Renewables are already much cheaper than fossil fuels. Alas, fossil fuels are up to three times as profitable. Thus capital forces governments to link electricity prices to the price of the most expensive liquified natural gas, not of cheap solar energy. Similarly, building and maintaining motorways is many times more lucrative for private contractors, car manufacturers and oil companies than a modern network of superfast, safe public railways. So capitalists continue to push our governments to subsidise fossil fuels and road building, even while the world burns."

"...Capital uses every tool at its disposal – debt, sanctions, coups and even outright military invasion to keep southern economies subordinate."
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We can move beyond the capitalist model and save the climate – here are the first three steps, Jason Hickel and Yanis Varoufakis
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/commentisfree/2026/feb/12/capitalist-model-climate-growth-capitalism-species-humanity
#FossilFuels #biodiversity #Roads #MobilityDesign #motorways #climate #DeliberativeDemocracy #DemocraticBacksliding #autogolpe #SelfCoup #governance
Image: Houses and landscapes destroyed for every wider roads to provide a conveyor belt for combustion vehicles, Coffs Harbour

Democratic Backsliding in Israel – Episode 1!

More countries around the world are moving away from liberal democracies toward electoral democracies.

Israel has long been considered one of the few countries in the Middle East with free and fair elections and an independent judiciary. Defined as a liberal democracy since 1973, its status changed in 2024 when the V-Dem Democracy Report reclassified Israel as an electoral democracy.

In the first episode, Professor Raphael Cohen-Almagor sheds light on the foundations of Israeli democracy, recent judicial reforms, the link between democracy and the occupation of the West Bank, and possibilities for peace between Palestine and Israel.

The discussion is academic in nature, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Radio Helsinki. Views expressed are those of the guest and the host.

🎧 Listen here: cba.media/755303

#freeradio #graz #radiorevolt # #democraticbacksliding #newseries #democracy