In retreat: democracy

view on espresso.economist.com -- Dec 19th 2018

In retreat: democracy

• democracy 民主国家；民主政体；民主制度

Over the coming week, Espresso will be publishing its year-in-review editions. Today, politics

• year-in-review 年监【各年度重要人物、事件】

In 1941 there were only a dozen democracies; by 2000 only eight states had never held a serious election.

• dozen 十二个；十来个

But since the financial crisis of 2007-08, democracy has ebbed.

• ebb 退潮；衰落

In a liberal democracy, a clear boundary exists between the ruling party and the state.

This system is now under siege.

• under siege 被包围

In many countries, voters are picking leaders who do not respect it, and gradually undermine it, creating what Viktor Orban, Hungary’s prime minister, proudly calls “illiberal democracy”.

• undermine 逐渐削弱（信心、权威等）；使逐步减少效力；从根基处破坏；挖…的墙脚

When enough checks and balances have been removed, a would-be autocrat finds it easier to neuter democracy itself, by shutting down the opposition (as in Turkey) or neutering the legislature (as in Venezuela).

• autocrat 独裁者；专制统治者；专制君主
• neuter 使失去作用

The mature democracies of the West are not yet in serious danger.

• in danger 在危险中

Donald Trump may scorn liberal norms, but America’s checks and balances are strong, and will outlast him.

• scorn 蔑视；看不起；拒绝
• outlast 比…持续时间长

The real threat is to less mature democracies, where institutions are weaker and democratic habits less ingrained.

• ingrained 根深蒂固的；日久难改的；深嵌并难以清除的

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