The Crisis of Democracy
Encyclopedia
The Crisis of Democracy: On the Governability of Democracies was initially a 1975 report written by Michel Crozier
, Samuel P. Huntington
, and Joji Watanuki for the Trilateral Commission
and later published as a book.
The report observed the political state of the United States
, Europe
and Japan
and says that in the United States the problems of governance "stem from an excess of democracy
" and thus advocates "to restore the prestige and authority of central government institutions."
while the increase in government was said to be due to the Cold War defense budget and Great Society
programs. Thus what is said to be needed is a "balance is to be restored between governmental activity and governmental authority". The effects of this "excess of democracy" if not fixed are said to be an inability to maintain international trade, budget deficits and inability to maintain "hegemonic power" in the world.
stated the conclusions of the report in an op-ed for the St. Petersburg Times
.
has criticized the report as being "the ideology of the liberal wing of the state capitalist ruling elite" and has said that it seeks to increase state power.
Michel Crozier
Michel Crozier is a French sociologist and member of the Académie des sciences morales et politiques since 1999. He is also an officer of the Légion d'honneur and a commander of the Ordre National du Mérite, as well as a laureate of the Prix Tocqueville.Michel Crozier didn't become a sociologist...
, Samuel P. Huntington
Samuel P. Huntington
Samuel Phillips Huntington was an influential American political scientist who wrote highly-regarded books in a half-dozen sub-fields of political science, starting in 1957...
, and Joji Watanuki for the Trilateral Commission
Trilateral Commission
The Trilateral Commission is a non-governmental, non-partisan discussion group founded by David Rockefeller in July 1973 to foster closer cooperation among the United States, Europe and Japan.-History:...
and later published as a book.
The report observed the political state of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and says that in the United States the problems of governance "stem from an excess of democracy
Criticism of democracy
Criticism of democracy has always existed in democratic societies, with much of the criticism claiming that democracy is either economically inefficient, politically idealistic or morally corrupt.-Irrational voters:...
" and thus advocates "to restore the prestige and authority of central government institutions."
Europe
The report outlines that in 1960s Western Europe the governments are "overloaded with participants and demands" which the highly bureaucratic political systems are unable to handle and thus is becoming ungovernable. It points to a political decision made by France that was made in "semisecret, without open political debate, but with a tremendous amount of lobbying and intrabureaucratic conflict".United States
The report says the problems of the United States in the 1960s was the "impulse of democracy is to make government less powerful and more active, to increase its functions, and to decrease its authority" and concludes these demands are contradictory. The impulse for the undermining of legitimacy was said to be done by new activism, an adversarial news mediaNews media
The news media are those elements of the mass media that focus on delivering news to the general public or a target public.These include print media , broadcast news , and more recently the Internet .-Etymology:A medium is a carrier of something...
while the increase in government was said to be due to the Cold War defense budget and Great Society
Great Society
The Great Society was a set of domestic programs in the United States promoted by President Lyndon B. Johnson and fellow Democrats in Congress in the 1960s. Two main goals of the Great Society social reforms were the elimination of poverty and racial injustice...
programs. Thus what is said to be needed is a "balance is to be restored between governmental activity and governmental authority". The effects of this "excess of democracy" if not fixed are said to be an inability to maintain international trade, budget deficits and inability to maintain "hegemonic power" in the world.
Influence
It has been observed by critics that many members of the Trilateral Commission had roles in the Carter Administration and have been influenced by the report. Specifically, Zbigniew BrzezinskiZbigniew Brzezinski
Zbigniew Kazimierz Brzezinski is a Polish American political scientist, geostrategist, and statesman who served as United States National Security Advisor to President Jimmy Carter from 1977 to 1981....
stated the conclusions of the report in an op-ed for the St. Petersburg Times
St. Petersburg Times
The St. Petersburg Times is a United States newspaper. It is one of two major publications serving the Tampa Bay Area, the other being The Tampa Tribune, which the Times tops in both circulation and readership. Based in St...
.
Criticism
Noam ChomskyNoam Chomsky
Avram Noam Chomsky is an American linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, and activist. He is an Institute Professor and Professor in the Department of Linguistics & Philosophy at MIT, where he has worked for over 50 years. Chomsky has been described as the "father of modern linguistics" and...
has criticized the report as being "the ideology of the liberal wing of the state capitalist ruling elite" and has said that it seeks to increase state power.
See Also
- Criticism of democracyCriticism of democracyCriticism of democracy has always existed in democratic societies, with much of the criticism claiming that democracy is either economically inefficient, politically idealistic or morally corrupt.-Irrational voters:...
- Political Order in Changing SocietiesPolitical Order in Changing SocietiesPolitical Order in Changing Societies is a 1968 book by Samuel P. Huntington dealing with changes in the political systems and political institutions...
- The Limits to Growth
- Powell Memo
- Samuel P. HuntingtonSamuel P. HuntingtonSamuel Phillips Huntington was an influential American political scientist who wrote highly-regarded books in a half-dozen sub-fields of political science, starting in 1957...
- Trilateral CommissionTrilateral CommissionThe Trilateral Commission is a non-governmental, non-partisan discussion group founded by David Rockefeller in July 1973 to foster closer cooperation among the United States, Europe and Japan.-History:...