Topic: Authoritarianism and Democracy
Country: United States
Delegate Name: Avneet Deol
School: Forest Hills Eastern High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All United States position papers GLIMUN 2017 committees
To the last drop of ink and the last leap of innovation that oozes out of the United States of America, we will foster the principles of democracy. Although the United States’ representative democracy and free press has aged since the Fourth of July in 1776, it is nonetheless secure, dependable, and fortified. The arbitrary growth of authoritarian tendencies recently, however, is appalling. Countries are abandoning their enduring and unfading principles; they are abandoning democracy and suffering for it. The Russian Federation’s economy has stagnated due to their authoritarian tendencies. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is in limbo. President Kabila and his country are delaying elections, a pillar of democracy. Every day, displaced women in the DRC fear being assaulted or their children being abducted. The government of South Sudan is also suffering. A government, like the government of South Sudan, that assumes unlimited power and that does not respect all of its people cannot be sustained. The Nguenyyiel refugee camp in Ethiopia alone is home to over 86,000 South Sudanese refugees. Authoritarian notions restrict freedom, inhibit voices, and corrupt governments.
The United States of America has already dedicated billions of dollars to the strengthening and development of democracy. In 2016 alone, the United States Agency for International Development used 2.4 billion dollars for democracy and governance programs. In addition, being a living, breathing example of a triumphant democracy (along with Australia, Canada, Ireland, Germany, the United Kingdom, South Korea, and more) encourages other political regimes to imitate our democracy. The USA hopes that other countries can also set examples and provide funding to support the end of the outbreak of threatening authoritarian principles. The USA hopes that the world can flourish through the support of the people it serves. As dictatorships around the world have fallen in diverse countries such as Bolivia, Bulgaria, Mongolia, and Malawi, they have attempted to transition to democracies; the United States’ government has frequently responded with our support.
Democracy can be nurtured by giving the right skills to promising leaders and activists. Advancing into the future, the USA encourages that countries, especially those that have already adopted democratic principles, first and foremost understand and cherish the idea of popular sovereignty. The democratic power lies with the people and within communities. From there, the people can determine where portions of the power should be held. Second, decisions should be made locally – as close to communities as possible – and the aggregate decision will be solidified. The government is responsible for every person and place it serves. Thirdly, democracies should be clear and understandable in their policies. There should be clear and defined lines of accountability in every policy that is enforced. Fourth, all communities must be able to participate in decision making that affects their lives and community. Fifth, like checks and balances in the USA, every sphere of government has to support the others in order to maintain the balance of power and interdependence. Finally, the government’s primary objective is to improve opportunities and outcomes for the individuals and communities that empower it. The United States’ hopes that other countries in the UNDP will support our efforts to provide resources for countries’ endeavors to become secure, dependable, and fortified democracies.
