Democracy on the Brink, Down but not Defeated

Authors

Andrew F. Popper, American University Washington College of LawFollow

Journal

University of Pennsylvania Journal of Law & Public Affairs

Volume

10

Issue

1

First Page

1

Last Page

35

Abstract

This essay assesses the current state of governance and is premised on the notion that distrust, anger, and discontent in our legal system represent a threat to the whole of the regulatory state and voting, the preeminent engines of democracy. The decline in trust in government is attributable in meaningful part to the prevalence of lies and false narratives that, if believed, will undermine government at every level. While various recent actions of Congress and certain Supreme Court cases have the potential to further dilute confidence in governance, they are not the focal point of this essay. It is disinformation and highly vocal anti-government animus that have the most disturbing and erosive effect. The article concludes that the only remedy likely to succeed is one steeped in a commitment of government to flood social media and all other available means of communication with open, transparent, and accurate information – literally, a bombardment of truth in governing and politics.

Repository Citation

Andrew F. Popper, Democracy on the Brink, Down but not Defeated, 10 U. Pa. J. L. & Pub. Aff. 1 (2024).
Available at: https://digitalcommons.wcl.american.edu/facsch_lawrev/2311