Like most things in life, democracy is imperfect, mostly because it is based on a series of false assumptions. This is not news, Plato was aware of it more than 2000 years ago. So as with most imperfect things, it is up to us, humans to make the best of it. It is not easy, there will always be sides and truths that are irreconcilable. It takes strength, leadership, an open mind and a whole lot of tolerance but the result is progress. This is the path that people like Lincoln, Stephen I of Hungary and other great leaders chose when balance was fragile.
Conversely, if one is driven by narrow mindedness, xenophobia and blind personal ambition, the outcome can be disastrous, and regardless of the original motive, it is just plain wrong. Democracy went rogue.
About a hundred years ago, Hitler, took advantage of the poor economic condition in his country, the famine and misery of the people, to come to power. He picked a scapegoat and he promised the people that by sacrificing it, all things would be normal again. And he delivered, for a while at least. He did have overwhelming backing from his people, not just 52%, so we could argue, in a sick sense, that all his actions were fully democratic. At what cost though? He plunged the entire world into decades of misery. Was it the right path? Could killing the Jews be justifiable if it had helped the German people live a better life in the long run?
Most certainly not. The same way as it is not acceptable what the leaders of the Brexit did. A handful of people who manipulated their countryman affected by socio-economic hardship into taking a decision that could prove disastrous for an entire world. Even if this will eventually help Britons, an outcome that looks less and less likely, it can simply not be justifiable.
You want to help your people, don’t do it on the expense of the world. The world should not stand passive at such evil. It is simply not OK. They should be tried and stigmatized for their actions and prevented from doing any further damage.
This post was first published on my LinkedIn Profile
