Many are realizing that the nation-state and the model of electoral politics that underpins it are a dead-end. Since we are currently embedded within such political systems, we must, of course, continue to fight for electoral reforms and reinforce independent institutions of the state like the judiciary. But our longer-term vision has to be the grounding of power in the hands of every person and every collective (human and non-human). Too many generations have been swayed by the myth that liberal democracies will deliver if only we elect the ‘right’ party. This myth has to be replaced by the narratives emerging from actual, grounded democracies, both historical and current.
Ashish Kothari, “Elections, power, and the illusions of choice,” Meer, January 13, 2025.
