How to Talk About Democracy and Influence People in Times of Anger

The sense that the arc of history is long but bends towards justice has taken a battering. Many democrats have that sinking feeling that time and history may not be on their side. While democracy, and its central pillar of elections, still offers hope for change, candidates are increasing contesting elections, populists are gathering strength and autocrats appear to be forming an increasingly concerted global bloc.

Democracy is not an easy sell. Populism and autocracy have simpler messages and easy scapegoats. But here is some guidance about communicating democratic ideas in times of anger. 

1. Don’t defend democracy, champion it. Appearing on the backfoot brings an immediate disadvantage of defensiveness. The tone of discourse, debate, and opinion should be one of celebrating democracy. Democratic governments may have come up short in keeping grocery prices down. Liberal democratic elites may be blind to genuine worries about crime or poverty, and improving governance is key. But democracy itself can still be proud of its ideals.

2. Don’t always use the “D” word. Like “climate change,” the word “democracy” suffers as a generalization that can be hard for people to grasp. Instead, it can be more effective to talk about democracy’s constituent parts, from freedom of press to free and fair elections. A threat to democracy can mean your inability to access news, for your vote at the ballot box to be nullified, for your children to be arrested at a demonstration and held without charge. Drill down on democracy.

3. Engage. Autocrats and those undermining democracy want us to believe the world is polarized between two sides. The reality is a messy grey area in the middle, of people with inherently good motives who have been convinced, at a particular moment in time, to support a shady populist or budding autocrat. Keeping open communications can eventually sway people, or at least nudge them in another direction. Don’t leave “X”. Politely argue with your bigoted uncle at a family dinner. Democracy is about talking to people with opinions you abhor.

4. Identify the red lines. In any country, populists and anti-democratic leaders may slowly chip away at civil liberties. The bleeding by a thousand cuts (like sudden tax audits of a newspaper or the insidious retweet of online lies) are very deniable and are extremely difficult to combat. So, pick your battles well. There will be moves that need mass protests and mobilization, whether the closing of a newspaper or the jailing of an opposition figure. Prepare. 

5. Reasons to be cheerful. The world is not all about Trump, nor Putin. Despite everything, there are green shoots that should be cheered – from the fall of populism in Poland, to Moldovia voters rejecting Russian-inspired disinformation campaigns and often under covered stories like the grassroots activism by empowered women in the villages of Sierra Leone. Good stories can win hearts and minds.

6. Let data do the talking. Democracy supporters may disagree with the interpretation of facts, but they at least agree on what is the fact. Populists are tied to the “post-truth” era and have often used brazen lies to discredit opponents, motivate supporters and stay in power. But plugging away with facts is the only way democracy can keep to the high-ground – and eventually undermine autocrats with uncomfortable truths. Start with our Global State of Democracy indices.

7. Leverage the language of your opponent, or at least be understandable to your mum. Words like “social justice,” “inclusion” and “equity” may make total sense in one community. But they can immediately box you in as an activist on the left, whether you are or not. One of Kamala Harris’s cleverer campaigns was to reclaim the word “freedom” from the Republicans traditional verbal war chest when she talked about issues ranging from abortion to pollution.  

8. “This too shall pass.” History shows that populism, by offering simplified solutions to complex problems, will eventually fail- Populists around the world that have won power have created a sense that things will get better, whether by clamping down on migrants or reducing crime with draconian policing. The wave of populism will eventually stumble. It is then up to democrats to show a way forward.  

Democracy may be on the wrong side of the vote, but it is usually on the right side of history.