Each individual step seems minor-none appears to truly threaten democracy. Indeed, government moves to subvert democracy frequently enjoy a veneer of legality: They are approved by parliament or ruled constitutional by the supreme court. Many of them are adopted under the guise of pursuing some legitimate-even laudable-public objective, such as combating corruption, "cleaning up" elections, improving the quality of democracy, or enhancing national security.
The erosion of democracy often occurs through seemingly insignificant measures, none of which seem to pose a direct risk to democratic structures. Many of these actions are sanctioned by legal frameworks, receiving approval from legislative bodies or being deemed constitutional by the judiciary. This creates an illusion of legitimacy that can obscure the underlying threats to democracy.
Moreover, these government interventions often present themselves as serving noble purposes, such as tackling corruption or enhancing electoral integrity. By framing these actions as efforts to improve democracy or national security, those in power can undermine democratic processes without raising immediate alarm, making it crucial to remain vigilant against such gradual encroachments.
