French journalist warns democracy weakened by inequality, social media

Taipei, June 11 (CNA) Democracy is backsliding globally as growing economic inequality and the disruptive influence of social media erode public trust and undermine free speech, French journalist and author Frédéric Lemaître said during a talk in Taipei on Saturday.

Speaking as a resident artist at the National Human Rights Museum, the veteran journalist, who has worked for the French outlet Le Monde for 30 years, said the world was drifting toward autocracy.

He cited the latest studies by the Swedish organization V-Dem (Varieties of Democracy) showing that nearly three-quarters of the global population now live under autocratic regimes -- the highest level since 1978.

Lemaître, 60, observed that many people in democratic countries were feeling a sense of "fatigue" with their political systems, and he attributed the disillusionment largely to "an unprecedented rise in inequality" over the past three decades.

"We see this very clearly in France, where today's young generations accumulate less wealth through work and more through inheritance at the time of their parents' death," he said, adding that economic development had led to growing injustices.

"I believe inequality is one of the main reasons for this democratic fatigue, even if it's not the only one. [We] must not overlook this," he said.

Lemaître also expressed concern over the growing influence of social media, which he said did not promote free expression and advance democracy, but instead has been used to manipulate public opinion and even elections.

A notable example is billionaire Elon Musk's use of his platform X to advocate for the far-right German party, Alternative for Germany (AfD), during recent elections, raising the once marginalized party to "the heart of the debate," he said.

Democracy is "not just about free elections and the separation of powers" but also "debates" and "listening" among those who hold different views, he said, underscoring the importance of respecting the opposition and finding common ground through compromise.

Turning to China, Lemaître noted that while the country remains a dictatorship with strict censorship and other issues, its citizens may potentially feel more satisfied with their political system than others, as they now enjoy greater freedom and prosperity compared to 40 years ago.

Lemaître, who served as a correspondent in Beijing from 2018 to 2023, cautioned that Western democracies should not overestimate their ability to influence China, noting that change will only come "when the Chinese believe their system is worse than another's."

Lemaître is the author of several books, including his latest, "Five Years in Xi Jinping's China" (Cinq ans dans la Chine de Xi Jinping), published in France in January 2024.

He arrived in Taiwan in early May for a 40-day residency at the National Human Rights Museum, where he worked on a new book about China and Taiwan.