The video explores the shifting attitudes towards democracy, especially among younger generations globally. While many still value democratic ideals, there is a growing inclination toward alternative forms of governance, such as military rule, among the youth. This trend is particularly noticeable in countries with relatively young democratic histories, like Spain. The video analyzes survey data revealing that faith in democracy is waning, particularly among millennials and younger cohorts. This discontent is linked to perceived failures of democratic systems to meet generational aspirations and opportunities.

The video highlights the potential consequences of declining satisfaction with democracy. In many cases, disenchanted voters may turn towards populist leaders who promise immediate results, albeit often at the expense of long-term stability. The appeal of populists to younger voters is discussed, with evidence showing temporary rises in satisfaction that eventually diminish as populist policies often lead to economic or political crises. Despite this, the video stresses that democracy's future remains uncertain, with the risk of political apathy leaving societies vulnerable to authoritarian tendencies.

Main takeaways from the video:

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Key Vocabularies and Common Phrases:

1. dissatisfaction [ˌdɪsˌsætəsˈfækʃən] - (noun) - A feeling of unhappiness or discontent with something. - Synonyms: (discontent, displeasure, disappointment)

This dissatisfaction with the democracies people live in isn't just youthful rebellion.

2. populist [ˈpɒpjʊlɪst] - (noun / adjective) - A political leader or philosophy that strives to appeal to ordinary people who feel that their concerns are disregarded by established elite groups. - Synonyms: (demagogue, rabble-rouser, agitator)

Disenchanted electorates are more likely to vote in populist leaders, who tend to undermine democracy.

3. apathetic [ˌapəˈθɛtɪk] - (adjective) - Lacking interest or enthusiasm. - Synonyms: (indifferent, uninterested, unconcerned)

What does all this mean for the future of democracy? Well, democracy is far from dead. The biggest danger from all this is not that young people will willingly give up their right to vote. Very few people do that, but that they might be too apathetic to notice or resist much when a would be autocrat gradually chips away at checks and balances.

4. intergenerational [ˌɪntərˌdʒɛnəˈreɪʃənl] - (adjective) - Relating to, involving, or affecting several generations. - Synonyms: (cross-generational, multigenerational, transgenerational)

When you look at mature democracies in Europe, the United States, the United Kingdom, the big divide that we see is the intergenerational life opportunity divide.

5. transition fatigue [trænˈzɪʃən fəˈtiːg] - (noun phrase) - Tiredness or disillusionment with ongoing changes, often in political systems transitioning to democracy. - Synonyms: (change fatigue, reform exhaustion, adjustment weariness)

In Latin America, in sub Saharan Africa, in parts of Asia, what we see is what we call transition fatigue.

6. autocrat [ˈɔːtəˌkræt] - (noun) - A ruler who has absolute power and typically exercises it in an arbitrary way. - Synonyms: (despot, dictator, tyrant)

The biggest danger from all this is not that young people will willingly give up their right to vote, very few people do that, but that they might be too apathetic to notice or resist much when a would be autocrat gradually chips away at checks and balances.

7. democratic antipathy [ˌdɛməˈkrætɪk ænˈtɪpəθi] - (noun phrase) - A strong feeling of dislike or opposition to democratic principles or practices. - Synonyms: (opposition to democracy, anti-democracy sentiment, rejection of democratic values)

If we look at actual youth political behaviour, we're seeing in a number of countries a transition from democratic apathy to what might be termed democratic antipathy.

8. disillusioned [ˌdɪsɪˈluːʒənd] - (adjective) - Disappointed and no longer believing in something previously respected or admired. - Synonyms: (disenchanted, disillusioned, disheartened)

There is a younger generation that has been disillusioned fundamentally with the way that democratic parties and democratic elites that led during the transition era delivered or failed to deliver on many of those promises.

9. mobilize [ˈmoʊbəˌlaɪz] - (verb) - To organize or prepare people, especially for political or military activity. - Synonyms: (rally, deploy, organize)

It's very clear that in recent years, we can see example after example, where political outsiders on both the left and the right have been able to mobilize younger voters into politics who were previously disconnected and disillusioned with mainstream political parties.

10. euphoria [juːˈfɔːriə] - (noun) - A feeling or state of intense excitement and happiness. - Synonyms: (elation, joy, happiness)

I remember the euphoria when eastern Europeans and black South Africans first won the vote

Will young people let democracy die?

It's been said democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the other forms. But lots of people across the world don't seem to agree. We won, especially the younger generations. Young respondents suggested that military rule might be a good way to govern their countries.

This dissatisfaction with the democracies people live in isn't just youthful rebellion. Mister president, watch us. Attitudes are not softening with age. The general assumption has been that as people grow up, people learn democratic values. That's now not true. So if those with decades still to live are down on democracy, what does this mean for its future?

I'm gonna spend half an hour of my good time to go to the polls to vote for a bunch of crooked politicians. In 2023, a survey from Open Society Foundations, a charity, asked respondents from 30 countries a series of questions about democracy. First, the good news. A big majority, 86%, said they wanted to live in a democratic state. But break things down by age and a different picture emerges. Among 18 to 35 year olds, 57% thought democracy was preferable to any other form of government, compared with 71% of respondents over 55.

And there's more. A sizeable minority of 18 to 35 year olds suggested that military rule or leaders who do without elections might be a good way to govern their countries. In America, often hailed as the leader of the free world, this figure was 43%. Faith in democracy is running on fumes. Millennials, the generation now aged between 28 and 43, have long loved the Simpsons. The cartoon picked up on cynicism about democracy years ago. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, democracy simply doesn't work.

The divide in attitudes to democracy between millennials and older generations can be especially pronounced in countries where democracy is relatively young, not least here in Spain, where the current democracy is only 50 years old. Take Inyaqui, 36 years old and working in tourism. Like many of his peers, he doesn't think Spains democracy is addressing his needs. Too young to remember when Spain was ruled by the military dictator Francisco Franco, who died in 1975. By contrast, begonia, Inakis mother, remembers this time well and appreciates the freedom Spaniards enjoy today.

Nyaki and begonia reflect differing generational views on democracy, and there's a broad and worrying trend at play here. University of Cambridge research suggests younger generations are less satisfied with democracy than generations before them were at the same age. Take my generation. My kids call me a boomer, but technically they're wrong. I'm a member of generation X, those born between 1965 and 1980. I remember the grim threat that communist dictatorships once posed to the free world. I remember the euphoria when eastern Europeans and black South Africans first won the vote. So maybe that's why I've always been grateful to live in a democracy. But millennials, the generation after mine, say they were less satisfied with democracy than my generation was in our twenties and thirties. This is the first generation where a majority of individuals have been dissatisfied with democracy at this stage in their life.

This satisfaction gap is wider in some regions than others, and there are varying reasons for this, depending on the part of the world. When you look at mature democracies in Europe, the United States, the United Kingdom, the big divide that we see is the intergenerational life opportunity divide. And that is a divide that comes down to incomes, availability of jobs in countries that returned to democracy or transitioned to democracy for the first time in the 1980s and 1990s.

In Latin America, in sub Saharan Africa, in parts of Asia, what we see is what we call transition fatigue. There is a younger generation that has been disillusioned fundamentally with the way that democratic parties and democratic elites that led during the transition era delivered or failed to deliver on many of those promises.

If this all sounds like bad news for democracy, there's more. Disenchanted electorates are more likely to vote in populist leaders, who tend to undermine democracy. Yet populist leaders are often better than moderate ones at getting young people excited about elections. It's very clear that in recent years, we can see example after example, where political outsiders on both the left and the right have been able to mobilize younger voters into politics who were previously disconnected and disillusioned with mainstream political parties.

In the Cambridge research, young people even seemed more satisfied with democracy under populists than centrist governments. But, and there's a big but here, this rise in satisfaction doesn't tend to last, perhaps because populists tend to govern badly. One of the defining features of populism is short termism. Populists, once they get elected, engage in policies that produce an immediate sugar rush in terms of tax cuts and spending or monetary stimulus that ultimately leads to consequences, that one term or two terms, or perhaps three terms down the line, produce crises of various kinds.

There is a pattern that we see where eventually support for populist leaders, and indeed, satisfaction with how democratic institutions are functioning under populism, begin to decline, and in some cases, decline really quite rapidly. My constituents, as your elected representative, so what does all this mean for the future of democracy? Well, democracy is far from dead. The biggest danger from all this is not that young people will willingly give up their right to vote. Very few people do that, but that they might be too apathetic to notice or resist much when a would be autocrat gradually chips away at checks and balances.

If we look at actual youth political behaviour, we're seeing in a number of countries a transition from democratic apathy to what might be termed democratic antipathy, where younger generations are available to be mobilised by anti system actors. What's at stake here is the weakening of the fabric of democratic societies.

Democracy, Politics, Generational Divide, Inspiration, Global, Youth Engagement, The Economist