I’m quite convinced that “part of the problem” is that unlike the 20th century, people are empowered now. Even in the West, rights movements were exceptions before. The norm was that decisions were taken by a political class and people got to follow them on TV.

Now we have discussions like this one, populist parties established in politics, foreign and business actors trying to meddle with internal politics. The last one is happening because people’s opinions matter. And we find out (maybe we knew it, maybe not) that the majority of people are short-sighted egoists that are actually continuously making decisions against their own interests.

Thank you for this, I hadn’t read Matei Visniec before. It does sound very convincing.

And while we are on it, here’s another thinker from the wider region that speaks of related topics (even if in the 90s) and lived in France: https://www.kairospresse.be/interview-of-daniel-mermet-with-cornelius-castoriadis/

If you don’t have time to read all, consider at least the part about pseudo-democracy.