“Western liberal democracy might prove to be not
the final destination on the democratic road, but just one of the many possible exits.”
~Fareed Zakaria

Twenty years ago, in an article entitled “The Rise of Illiberal Democracy” (published in the Nov./Dec. 1997 issue of Foreign Affairs journal), Fareed Zakaria presented a somewhat controversial term he called “illiberalism”.  The original article (the PDF of which is referenced here) was originally intended as Exhibit A in a much broader post for this week.  However, on further consideration, its length and profundity warrant a front and center prominence the original post design did not afford.

Additionally, take a read through Zakaria’s December 2016 follow-up to the original article as well as both an analysis of and a counter to his proposals.

Next week we will reference these articles in a broader context which considers the possibility that while democracy could be on the demise worldwide, the American use of the phrase “death of democracy” could refer to the wane of something considerably more profound than we imagine.