Democracy: Erosion from Above and Below
Democracy is like a glass — transparent and beautiful, but vulnerable to cracks.
Democracy is also like a bamboo — it bends under pressure but does not break, regaining its upright form once the storm passes.
Larry M. Bartels, in his book ‘Democracy Erodes from the Top’ (Princeton University Press, 2023), argues that the real crisis of democracy in Europe stems not from ordinary citizens but from political leaders.
His findings emphasize:
‘Leaders, not citizens, drive erosion. Elites exploit institutions, laws, and surveillance to entrench themselves in power.
Europeans broadly value democracy, integration, and institutions.
Populist sentiment has always existed, but its electoral impact is modest.’
Bartels concludes that democratic decline is essentially a top-down phenomenon, rooted in elite manipulation rather than grassroots rejection.
While Bartels highlights erosion from above, democracy also erodes from below:
Materialism and distraction: In capitalist societies, citizens are absorbed by consumerism, advertisements, and digital platforms.
Neglect of values: People rarely imbibe democratic values unless consciously trained or compelled.
Cycle of erosion: As citizens disengage, leaders face less resistance, enabling further manipulation.
Democracy does not erode only from the top. It also weakens from the bottom, simultaneously. The process is cyclical:
Top-down erosion: Leaders manipulate institutions to consolidate power.
Bottom-up erosion: Citizens, distracted by materialism, neglect values and disengage.
Restoration by the people: History shows that when democracy is suppressed, it is ultimately the people — through their numbers in protests, resistance, criticism, and digital presence — who restore it.
When democracy reaches its lowest point, the collective strength of the people — their sheer number — becomes decisive.
Governments may wield surveillance, economic tools, and laws, but they cannot ultimately suppress the awakening of the masses.
Reflection:
Democracy is fragile in its practice yet resilient in its essence.
Bartels rightly identifies the dangers of elite manipulation, but erosion is not confined to the summit of power. It also begins at the grassroots, where citizens neglect values in pursuit of material gain.
Ultimately, democracy survives because the people — through their numbers, their resistance, and their will — reclaim it when it falters.
Like glass, democracy must be protected; like bamboo, it endures and rises again.
Dr Mahendra Ingale @ Jalgaon on Aug 11, 2026
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