...even the most brutal and autocratic regimes at least tried to pretend they were democratic. They called themselves names like "The People's Democratic Republic of ,,,", or they held periodic elections that everyone understood were a sham, or they maintained rubber-stamp parliaments. Some, like the Soviet Union, even sported remarkably enlightened constitutions (which were nevertheless ignored in the administration of the country). Still, at least an effort was made to claim democratic institutions.

Not since the days of early 20th century European fascism has the very concept of democracy come under direct public attack the way it is today. Democracies are accused of being weak, corrupt, easily suborned by factions and political and economic and class interests, and of course, those "elites" which are always undermining the true interests of The People. There is a bit of truth to this, even the earliest Classical Athenian democracy was controlled by rich businessmen and political hacks, it established tyrants and controlled an overseas empire and an aggressive foreign policy and repression at home. The Roman Republic was merely a club of the city's richest families who agreed to rotate the temporary leadership amongst themselves because they didn't trust each other. Democracy is no guarantee of freedom, it must be consciously controlled and fought for by an enlightened and informed citizenry. Even in our own country, the most profound political development of the Enlightenment, only white, male, "Gentlemen of Property" were allowed to vote, and the leadership was elected by the Representatives, NOT the popular vote.

Still, what we are seeing now is truly unprecedented. Democracy is being attacked not because it is failing, or led astray, or neglected, or incompetent. It rejects the democratic idea entirely, and substitutes for it the mere trappings of rule of law and the vote and the tough love of a allegedly benign dictator.

And its not just happening here.