Youth is the hope of our future. When it comes to governance, is that a good thing in a world where there is a growing body of evidence that youth’s satisfaction with democracy is declining in many countries? Listen as Cristóbal Marín Rojas and Julien Richard discuss the challenges of making democracy work.
Julien Richard is an master’s student in international security at the Paris School for International Affairs, Sciences Po. Having previously interned with Cambodia’s Development Resource Institute Policy (CDRI) and the European Union’s Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA), Julien has garnered work experience with institutions striving for societal progress. His most recent activity involved working on a research project with Fabienne Hara – International Crisis Group’s former VP for Multilateral Affairs – that focused on ‘redefining diplomacy in the 21st Century’. During his time in Paris, Julien was a member of The Policy Corner, a platform for students and young professionals wishing to publish articles on global issues. He also volunteered with ANAFÉ, a Paris based association who offer legal assistance to migrants held up at France’s borders. During his time there, Julien also co-authored an internal document, challenging the legality of a detention center in Menton, France’s border town with Italy.
Cristóbal Marín Rojas comes from Bogotá, Colombia. He holds a master’s degree in International Development at Sciences Po Paris and a specialisation degree in Public Policy for equality in Latin America at the Latin American Council of Social Sciences. He has recently worked on a research project entitled “Defining a Progressive Diplomacy for the “21st Century” led by Fabienne Hara.
Filippino national hero Jose Rizal allegedly said that “Youth is the hope of our future.” When it comes to governance, is that a good thing in a world where there is a growing body of evidence that youth’s satisfaction with democracy is declining in many countries? This decline—in absolute terms, as well as relative to how older generations felt at the same stages in their lives—may reflect understandable frustration with outcomes, rather than with the concept of representative democracy. But that makes it no less worrying.
If not democracy, then what? Government by technocrats? By “strong” leaders? By the wisdom of crowds?
This New Thinking for a New World podcast episode is part of Tällberg Foundation’s exploration of the future of democracy. Is Churchill still right that democracy is the worst form of government, except for everything else? Listen as Cristóbal Marín Rojas, who comes from Bogota, Colombia, and Julien Richard, who is French, American and Austrian discuss the challenges of making democracy work. Both are students at the Paris School for International Affairs at Sciences Po.
What do YOU think? Comment below.
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pradojav2004@yahoo.com, Javier Luis y Prado, A.A.-Engineering, Argentine by birth, but grew up 13 years in the States and survived 4 military dictatorships in Argentina as a child, young teen and as a young adult as well….democracy means nothing unless the whole citizenship of that country makes its government officials and ministries/offices do what they must do by law, but until we hold those government officials accountable for their misdeeds and crimes against the nation – which is mostly due to an inefficient, unpatriotic Judicial System and Courts system….it doesn’t make any difference whatsoever whom you nominate as a “leader” for democracy! Democracy is exercised by the entire population of whichever country you are referring to, or it will never exist in reality, because it’s manipulated by all the corrupt people in all the government agencies and offices in most countries of the world, with some very rare exceptions, such as Norway, The Netherlands, Sweden, maybe New Zealand, Denmark…but in Latin America …it doesn’t matter if we’re under a military dictatorship or a democratically elected government! The corruption and lack of patriotism is always there! Many times backed up by the US! And like the eternal and infallible universal Law of cause and effect has it, the US is getting its own share of undemocratic injustices despite its self-acclaimed democratic system! Look at its voting system! What a sham! What an international disgrace! I have been designated a voting official here in Tierra del Fuego Province, Argentina’s southernmost province near Antarctica, in charge of a whole voting small district….I made sure every voter’s election choice was accounted for exactly as that person’s choice was made in a sealed envelope! No ifs or buts about it! And this happened in Argentina! We are light years ahead of the corrupt US supposedly democratic voting system! I don’t need to nominate anybody for there to be better working democracies! One person can’t do it! Only a fully united citizenship can!!! What a ridiculous and absurd waste of our precious time this ridiculous nomination proposal is!!! And like I said I am 58, have lived in the US 13 years, have visited Brazil, Spain, France, several times and speak fluent Spanish, English, French and Portuguese and have survived four military dictatorships in Argentina, and even have a missing uncle and aunt…so don’t try to seduce me with your senseless proposal about nominating any single one person to improve democracies in the world! No one single person can do that!! Only a fully united citizenship can build and keep a serious democratic society going!!!!
This stupid idea of following a single person is a stupid messianic-like dependent mentality that WILL NEVER create a long-lasting just, fair, conscientious democracy!!!!
What are you thinking about? Where have you lived? Maybe you should live a couple of decades under some really corrupt military dictatorships and very corrupt democratically elected antipatriotic governments and maybe then you’ll realize that no single one person can make a democracy work, unless a great