We humans like to put things into boxes. We love to describe things in black and white, both our world and ourselves. That’s why we use the left-right political spectrum to describe politics because it’s a highly complicated topic that isn’t easy to comprehend for the masses unless we keep it simple. But how does the simplification of our political system in debates, news, and electoral campaigns influence our perception of politics?
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We live in tumultuous times. The re-emerging of right-wing nationalist ideologies, rising sentiments of white supremacy and an almost revolutionary smell in the air. Western Democracies around the world experience a shakeup. An increasing neglect of progressive values, replaced by nationalist patriotism by the rise of a new right. Fueled by the rejection of the elites in power, the “simple” voter seems to rebel against the status quo from both the left and right. That begs the question – Are we failing Democracy or is Democracy failing us?
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When we think about Eastern Europe, we still have very distinct images and stereotypes in mind. The Cold War painted the East in a communist red that is hard to wash off, but eventually, they tried. In the 90s, many Eastern European Countries were full of hope and motivation to transition and converge to the rich west by means of liberal policies and a free market. But tipping the scales is a risky endeavor, one that would swing Eastern European states from left to right until, eventually, the far right took over. But how did the right-wing come to fruition in those former socialist societies?
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When Donald Trump won the presidential election, it shook the whole world to its very core. The list included liberals, minorities, and basically everyone who is alive today. We may even go so far as to say that it made the last 45 presidents of America roll in their very graves. Many people lost faith in the idea of American democracy and all that it stands for the minute a self-contradicting bigot such as Donald Trump became a leader of the free world.
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Alberto Fujimori, former Peruvian president branded as a dictator, received a pardon for the crimes committed during his presidency. Let’s review this story a little. Was he really a dictator? Does he deserve forgiveness? Judge for yourself.
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Kenya is considered to be one of the most mature democracies in Africa. However, like many other African countries, the political scene is never short of drama. Politically instigated violence has been witnessed all around. As a result, thousands of people have lost their lives and property worth millions of dollars was destroyed. Most of the violence is ethnically based.
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Naturally, any argument for the validity of a new political system, in any age or any circumstance must lay its foundations in the invalidity of the incumbent system. The old adage ‘don’t fix it if it isn’t broken’ springs to mind, and it is glaringly obvious that the system is broken; this last General Election has proved that beyond any doubt. This is an Argument against FPTP.
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The president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Joseph Kabila, is one of the leaders in Africa who has shown intentions of clinging to power, through unconstitutional means. The ruling party and other supporting coalitions in the Democratic Republic of Congo, have delayed the national elections that were to be held in 2016. This clearly indicates Kabila’s quest for more power beyond his final term.
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An uprising in Burkina Faso broke out by the end of last October, and soon after, the system of the Burkinabe former president, Blaise Compaore took his last breath, after 27 years in power, as the country takes a new turn in its history.
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At odds with most pollsters, Ted Cruz has won the most votes in the state of Iowa, delegating Donald Trump to second place with GOP-establishment backed candidate Marco Rubio close behind. Hilary Clinton, although presumptuous in her outlook, had virtually tied with her main opponent Bernie Sanders in a closely fought content that has yet again defied the opinion polls.
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