Across the world, democratic systems are facing severe backsliding. Emboldened autocrats are making it harder for citizens to choose their leaders in free and fair elections, civil society activists are being targeted with new threats and repressive regimes are using a blizzard of tactics to consolidate power. These threats are rooted in deep-rooted problems that need to be addressed in a more holistic and systemic way. It is time to stop treating democracy by triage.
While the global community of democracies has a long way to go to regain its footing, many individuals, NGOs and other institutions have proven their ability to defend and strengthen the guardrails of democracy, even in the face of serious challenges. These institutions include governmental officials (including at the state and local levels), law enforcement, media, business and civic groups. The strength of these pillars is dependent on the freedom of all actors to respond without fear or intimidation.
Amid a worldwide wave of antidemocratic trends, Princeton Public Library staff will curate a series of resources throughout 2024 to help understand and make sense of the global democratic crisis. We are dedicated to providing high-quality resources that offer a variety of perspectives on the state of democracy in our times. The collection will be updated as the election year progresses and we continue to look for valuable sources of information and analysis that are critical to understanding the state of democracy around the world.