American nihilism: is the US democracy in peril?

As the November 5th 2024 US presidential election approaches, one question is on the minds of many citizens in this country: “Is American democracy under threat?”. Concern about the strength of the nation’s commitment to its core values emerged in the public eye after the January 6th 2021 storming of the Capitol. But among many experts and political observers, doubts concerning the health of democratic institutions have been simmering for some time. Practices such as gerrymandering and efforts to disenfranchise large sectors of the electorate can skew election results. Lobbying and corporate funding of campaigns can call into question the independence of elected officials and members of Congress. Hate speech, violent rhetoric, verbal threats directed at political opponents create a climate of distrust and fear that can sometimes morph into physical violence. Today, the United States ranks 46th in the Global
State of Democracy Index. According to Freedom House, from 2010 to 2020, “the United States’ aggregate Freedom in the World score dropped by 11 points, placing it among the 25 countries that suffered the largest democratic declines in this period.”