Session: Session 5 / Regency Room
Date/Time: April 23, 2013 / 15:30-16:45

Moderator:
Andrew Browne, The Wall Street Journal

Speakers:
Daniel A. Bell, Tsinghua University
Edwin Feulner, The Heritage Foundation
Eric X. Li, Chengwei Capital

Panel Description
A century ago, not a single existing political system would have qualified as a democracy by today’s standards. Today, there are 118 electoral democracies. Popular demonstrations have toppled authoritarian rulers from Tunisia to Ukraine while citizens are vigorously voicing their views in often-turbulent democracies such as Brazil, Turkey, and Thailand. However, there are growing signs of authoritarian pushback as entrenched bureaucracies and state institutions fight. Democracy is also changing in established democracies as migration, class conflict, and the demise of bipartisanship reshape politics in the developed world. The recent US government shutdown is further cause for worry in the world’s oldest democracy. Meanwhile, Russia and China offer the promise of a different model of governance and development. Can democracy rejuvenate itself?