(Geneva, January 13, 2022) – Autocratic leaders faced significant backlash in 2021, but democracy will flourish in the contest with autocracy only if democratic leaders do a better job of addressing global problems, Kenneth Roth, executive director at Human Rights Watch, said today in releasing the Human Rights Watch World Report 2022.
From Cuba to Hong Kong, people took to the streets demanding democracy when unaccountable rulers, as they so often do, prioritized their own interests over those of their citizens, Roth said. However, many democratic leaders have been too mired in short-term preoccupations and scoring political points to address serious problems such as climate change, the Covid-19 pandemic, poverty and inequality, racial injustice, or the threats from modern technology.
Kenneth RothExecutive Director, Human Rights Watch
The conventional wisdom these days is that autocracy is ascendent, democracy on the decline.
In Myanmar, Sudan, Russia, Belarus, Nicaragua, Poland, and Uganda, people have recently taken to the streets to demand democracy, even at the risk of being arrested or shot.
There are few rallies for autocratic rule.
In some countries ruled by autocrats that retain at least a semblance of democratic elections, opposition political parties have begun to paper over their policy differences to build broad alliances in pursuit of their common interest in ousting the autocrat.
Such coalitions succeeded in removing Czech Prime Minister Babiš and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.
They are challenging Hungarian Premier Orban and Turkish President Erdogan.
A similar coalition in the US chose Joe Biden to run against Donald Trump.
As autocrats can no longer rely on subtly manipulated elections to preserve power, a growing number are resorting to electoral charades that guarantee their victory but confer none of the legitimacy of an election.
We have seen these desperate “Zombie elections” in Hong Kong, Nicaragua, Belarus, Russia, Uganda, and Iran.
All of these developments spell trouble for the autocrats.
Yet, we must recognize that autocrats are enjoying their moment in the sun in part because of the failings of democratic leaders.
Today’s challenges are big: the climate crisis, the Covid-19 pandemic, poverty and inequality, racial injustice, the threats from modern technology.
But today’s democratic leaders are often too mired in short-term partisan battles to address these problems effectively.
If democracies are to prevail, their leaders must do more than spotlight the autocrats’ shortcomings.
They must ensure that democracy delivers on its promised dividends.
Otherwise, they risk fueling the frustration and despair that are fertile ground for the autocrats.
The conventional wisdom these days is that autocracy is ascendent, democracy on the decline.
In Myanmar, Sudan, Russia, Belarus, Nicaragua, Poland, and Uganda, people have recently taken to the streets to demand democracy, even at the risk of being arrested or shot.
There are few rallies for autocratic rule.
In some countries ruled by autocrats that retain at least a semblance of democratic elections, opposition political parties have begun to paper over their policy differences to build broad alliances in pursuit of their common interest in ousting the autocrat.
Such coalitions succeeded in removing Czech Prime Minister Babiš and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.
They are challenging Hungarian Premier Orban and Turkish President Erdogan.
A similar coalition in the US chose Joe Biden to run against Donald Trump.
As autocrats can no longer rely on subtly manipulated elections to preserve power, a growing number are resorting to electoral charades that guarantee their victory but confer none of the legitimacy of an election.
We have seen these desperate “Zombie elections” in Hong Kong, Nicaragua, Belarus, Russia, Uganda, and Iran.
All of these developments spell trouble for the autocrats.
Yet, we must recognize that autocrats are enjoying their moment in the sun in part because of the failings of democratic leaders.
Today’s challenges are big: the climate crisis, the Covid-19 pandemic, poverty and inequality, racial injustice, the threats from modern technology.
But today’s democratic leaders are often too mired in short-term partisan battles to address these problems effectively.
If democracies are to prevail, their leaders must do more than spotlight the autocrats’ shortcomings.
They must ensure that democracy delivers on its promised dividends.
Otherwise, they risk fueling the frustration and despair that are fertile ground for the autocrats.