Abstract:
It is a critical time to discuss the resurrection and possible entrenchment of social democracy,
although it might not seem like it at f rst. Since 2014, the need to stop liberal democracy
from sliding into authoritarianism has appeared much more urgent. Progressives and
social democrats expected growing popular dissatisfaction with the failures of liberal
democracy – including rising inequality, global trade inequities, systemic corruption, and
political responsiveness to elites. But, rather than gains for labour and the lef , popular
dissatisfaction has led to a resurgence in racism, sexism, xenophobia, vehement nationalism, religious intolerance, disdain for the rule of law, and ‘ strongmen ’ type leaders. With
illiberal populists on the extreme right outperforming electoral expectations, undoing their
nations ’ democracies from within, the fate of liberal democracy has become the most salient
issue of the day.