Progress-focused

When Donald Trump was a nominee in 2015/2015 I was very surprised that Trump, despite his apparent incompetence and amorality, appeared to be practically unstoppable. First, he defeated one after the other of his Republican rivals.  Then, he defeated one after the other of opponents within the Republican party establishment. Rivals, who clearly saw Trump for what he was (a liar, a narcissist, a con man, an autocrat) like Nikki Haley , Marco Rubio , Ted Cruz , turned into loyalists.  Many people aware of Trump's autocratic ambitions said that checks and balances would prevent a slide into autocracy. But journalist and author Masha Gessen warned: "Institutions will not save you". What happened next?

The Social Progress Index (SPI) of 2020 has been published today. The SPI uses non-economic indicators to chart how well countries are doing. Read below how it works in the 163 countries described in the SPI. Overall, is the world continuing to make progress? How is your own doing? Are there certain things that clearly need improvement? Which countries are progressing the fastest? Which countries are actually declining? How is the United States doing in the era of Donald Trump?

A.C. Grayling, an English philosopher and author of many books, has written a new book entitled The Good State. On the Principles of Democracy . In the book he deals in a clear and convincing way with essential questions about democracy, such as:  What exactly does democracy mean?  What are the essential principles underlying an effective democracy?  What is the purpose of governance in a democracy?  How can democracy best be protected against undermining forces from outside and within?  Who should have the right to vote and who should not?  Read more about the book below and why I think it is important.