LIBERAL democracy, once hailed as the champion of fundamental rights, like liberty, equality, and freedom, is arguably struggling to maintain its footing in the modern world. Following the Cold War, the United States asserted its dominance globally, surpassing the erstwhile Soviet Union. The US then promoted liberal democracy as a core system, gaining widespread acceptance across the world, including the decolonised Asian as well as African nations. However, the global landscape is shifting dramatically from the West to the East, owing to the rise in power and stature of China and Russia, backed by India’s economic surge.

Historian Yuval Noah Harari’s obser- vation that “people are losing faith in liberal democracy” underscores its bleak future. China’s new economic model poses a significant threat to the liberal world order, while regional political blocs indicate a potential challenge to liberal democracy from the Global South. India and Russia, the emerging superpowers in the Global South, are democracies but in name as they are being ruled by hardcore populists, challenging liberal democracy’s core principles.

China, India, and Russia are excelling economically. Unsurprisingly, given the rapid progress, it is clear that the Western world order is crumbling, paving the way for the Global South to ascend. If China, India, and Russia continue their upward trajectory, the world is going to become multipolar, dealing a significant blow to the Global North. If the trend continues, the liberal democracy that once seemed triumphant may become a relic of the past.

Nasrullah Khadim
Kandhkot

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2024