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Despatches from the US on democracy 12 Dec 2024

Although there is less enthusiasm on the part of the US and its western allies to promote democracy in the so-called developing world, democracy remains an integrated part of western civilisation. Although many West African countries are under military rulership and many more not under formal military rulership are pseudo democracies, we should still pay attention to democracy. Although we do not see ‘democracy’ produce its advertised dividends in the African continent, we should still worry about how to make democracy work. But stories from the United States, especially in the wake of the 2024 US elections, are chilling for what remains of faith in democracy.

On 5 November 2024, Americans elected Donald Trump again as president. A man who was twice impeached, convicted of sexual assault, convicted for financial fraud and awarded penalty of over $450 million, and facing trial for insurrection against the United States and gross violation of espionage law. But the point is not the despicableness of Mr. Trump; it is how the rule of law has come to ruin in his country. The law was weaponised against Trump because the political establishment understood that most of his compatriots could choose him again to be President. Democracy could not be trusted to keep him out. Democracy, as the will of the people, had to be curtailed to ensure the survival of the ‘project’. The project could also entail the protection of some more strategic interest, including Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). The strategic interest could be the continuation of global wars or other economic outcomes.

The truth is that the West is running out of enthusiasm for democracy. At the end of colonialism and at the height of the Cold War, the West was feverish about promoting democracy. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) led other development agencies to focus much attention and resources on transplanting democracy into these erstwhile colonial and autocratic societies. Part of the agenda was institutionalising the rule of law in place of the rule of man or special interests. Such US scholars like Thomas Carothers developed a cottage industry around democracy and international aid. It is sad that now that Africa countries are learning to sign-up fully to democracy, there is a backsliding in the US, the home of democracy.

No matter what else is true about the 2024 presidential election, it is obvious that democracy is in decline in the United States. During the campaign and after the election, we have seen evidence of fascism. Part of the Democratic Party’s campaign message is that Trump would be a fascist as President because of his rhetoric and demand for fealty from those who would work with him as part of the federal government. In other words, since he would be a dictator, nip him in the bud. But the truth is that the roots of a possible fascist America are deeper than Trump. They include the morbid fear of the freedom of speech by left liberals who fear ‘misinformation’ more than they fear suppression of speech and the willingness of the Trump team to mobilise open violence against Haitian immigrants to win election.

The decay of democracy in the US shows its shallow rooting. Even an eminent US political scientist, Robert Dahl, had wondered whether the US was a true democracy. In his book, How Democratic is the American Constitution? Dahl argues that the US Constitution may not be as democratic as many assume. For one, the delegate system often leads to the defeat of majority choice. The recent phenomenon of a few states, nay, a few voters in a few districts deciding who becomes US President is one that seems abhorrent to the idea of democracy.

The emergence of lawfare further enhances the technocratic nature of the US politics that makes it less democratic. This is not about the many cases filed against Trump to disqualify him from contesting for office. It is more about how each stage of electoral process turned out to become the triumph of legalism rather than democratic will formation. Top lawyers and billionaires took over the process. George Saros and Elon Musk became the patron saints whose financial muscles determined who gets to vote and what vote is counted.

Trump got a historic victory, winning in places that no Republican has won in recent history. But the ghost of 2020 is alive. Many prominent Democrats have asked President Biden to find a way to stop Trump from getting installed as President. Some of the celebrities who voted for Kamala Haris are at different degrees of aggressive grief, including threatening fellow Americans who voted for Trump with violence and sexual isolation. Some of them have migrated out of the US never to share the same country with the over 76 million Americans who voted for Trump.

Political grief always accompanies electoral defeat. But what is different this time is that the abortion of democratic rights of citizens in the name of democracy is promoted on both sides of the US political divide. Some notable Democrats are calling for Elon Musk to be deported to South Africa on account of his political support for Trump and conservative causes. Similarly, notable Republicans are asking for vengeance against liberals who went against Trump in his first term. This is not just a matter of political violence. It is a matter of deep divide and failure to accord common citizenship to those who share different political ideologies.

As President-elect Trump prepares to exercise political power again, African despots are not bothered about the West heckling and lecturing them about democracy. They have a ready answer for any reprimand from the West about violation of democracy: shut up, you hypocrite.

Sam Amadi, PhD, a former Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, is the Director of Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts.