Fundamental attack on democracy leaves a worrying legacy
ANYONE who watched the disturbing scenes unfold on Wednesday night as pro-Trump protesters stormed Washington’s Capitol building will have been rightly concerned about the wider ramifications.
For it was not just the buildings and legislators that were the target of the mob, but the very values that lie at the heart of a free America and western world: democracy itself was under attack.
Whipped up into a fury by the incendiary words of the outgoing President, the horde that forced their way into the landmark building and were pictured lolling in the seats of elected lawmakers or making off with symbols of power, resembled the kind of uprising that would be widely condemned by the United States had it occurred in nations with a less deeply embedded history of free and fair elections.
The world looked on in dismay as the certification of Joe Biden as new president degenerated into anarchy.
And what was most worrying of all was how it exposed the fragility of democracy – how hard won it is, and how much it needs to be treasured. By sowing seeds of doubt among voters with persistent rhetoric about the election results being fraudulent, without fact or foundation, Mr Trump’s legacy will have been to undermine the foundations upon which that great nation and others like it stand.
Spreading his own brand of ‘fake news’, Mr Trump’s argument that the election was rigged may serve his own purposes in shoring up loyal support, but casts a deeply troubling shadow over future elections in America and overseas.
It comes at a time when trust in politicians has been dwindling and conspiracy theories run rife on social media. If the so-called leader of the free world accuses elections in his own nation of being fraudulent – actually being blocked yesterday by Twitter and Facebook for his inflammatory remarks – then what example does that set across the global stage?
During debate in the run-up to the rioting, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell warned: “If this election were overturned by mere allegations from the losing side, our democracy would enter a death spiral. We’d never see the whole nation accept an election again. Every four years would be a scramble for power at any cost.” That sombre message should act as a wake-up call to all who value democracy – that it is vulnerable when trust is lost.
Our own Houses of Parliament have seen plenty of protests down the years. Demonstrators have chained themselves to grilles, hurled flour and glued themselves to security glass in order to highlight their causes. Freedom to legally protest is an important part of a fully-functioning democracy and debating chambers should not become fortresses. However, what took place in the United States Capitol was motivated by something far more fundamental. In interviews the protesters talked of ‘revolution’, a desire to break down current order, to take control by force.
A reminder that democracy and the freedoms we enjoy face threats even from within, and can never be taken for granted.