The reality is that democracies depend on one another to survive #TEDTalks

For a few decades now, democracy has For a few decades now, democracy has been in crisis. We have to ask why is been in crisis. We have to ask why is been in crisis. We have to ask why is this happening? In my work, we have this happening? In my work, we have this happening? In my work, we have found four key drivers. Economic change found four key drivers. Economic change found four key drivers. Economic change and inequality, and inequality, and inequality, dysfunctional and unregulated dysfunctional and unregulated dysfunctional and unregulated information ecosystems, information ecosystems, information ecosystems, rapid demographic changes, and finally rapid demographic changes, and finally rapid demographic changes, and finally the interplay between opportunistic the interplay between opportunistic the interplay between opportunistic populist leaders and political elites. populist leaders and political elites. populist leaders and political elites. Collectively, these forces are driving Collectively, these forces are driving Collectively, these forces are driving the crisis of democracy globally. This the crisis of democracy globally. This the crisis of democracy globally. This has left many people feeling has left many people feeling has left many people feeling disillusioned and thus more susceptible disillusioned and thus more susceptible disillusioned and thus more susceptible to manipulation by authoritarian to manipulation by authoritarian to manipulation by authoritarian narratives, activating what researchers narratives, activating what researchers narratives, activating what researchers call the authoritarian reflex, which is call the authoritarian reflex, which is call the authoritarian reflex, which is really about people's desire for answers really about people's desire for answers really about people's desire for answers and security. Authoritarian leaders are and security. Authoritarian leaders are and security. Authoritarian leaders are exploiting this by offering very exploiting this by offering very exploiting this by offering very simplistic and often ethnationalist and simplistic and often ethnationalist and simplistic and often ethnationalist and malinformed solutions to address our malinformed solutions to address our malinformed solutions to address our everyday challenges like building a wall everyday challenges like building a wall everyday challenges like building a wall to promote security. And unfortunately, to promote security. And unfortunately, to promote security. And unfortunately, they're succeeding. I don't need to tell they're succeeding. I don't need to tell they're succeeding. I don't need to tell you how badly polarization is impacting you how badly polarization is impacting you how badly polarization is impacting us. We demonize each other within us. We demonize each other within us. We demonize each other within borders and across borders. This is a borders and across borders. This is a borders and across borders. This is a key component of the authoritarian key component of the authoritarian key component of the authoritarian playbook. The reality is that playbook. The reality is that playbook. The reality is that democracies depend on one another to democracies depend on one another to democracies depend on one another to survive just as autocracies do. Which survive just as autocracies do. Which survive just as autocracies do. Which means that we as people of different means that we as people of different means that we as people of different nations also depend on one another. We nations also depend on one another. We nations also depend on one another. We can use this interdependence to promote can use this interdependence to promote can use this interdependence to promote oppression or liberation. It is up to us

oppression or liberation. It is up to us oppression or liberation. It is up to us to choose.