MANIFESTO: IMPROVING PUBLIC DEBATE IS STRENGTHENING THE QUALITY OF DEMOCRACY
- Preserving the quality of democracy requires a continuous effort. Democracy is never a final destination. There is always room to deepen it and make it progress. And we always run the risk of degrading it and allowing any form of authoritarianism to replace it.
- For this reason, what weakens and puts a democratic system in crisis is not only the attacks of its adversaries, but often the weakening of the support and defense of its followers and those responsible for it. Any aggression against citizens’ rights and the inefficiency of the political system in guaranteeing them directly affects the foundations of democracy.
- This occurs when policies are implemented that harm economic and social rights, exacerbating inequalities among citizens. But it also happens when decisions are taken or behaviors adopted that may violate basic civil rights, such as the right to privacy in personal communications or the right to receive truthful information from those obliged to provide it as political representatives or communication professionals.
- At times, it seems as if some partisan actions—especially from authoritarian and exclusionary positions—focus on emphasizing differences rather than seeking points of agreement that could facilitate the resolution of issues of general interest. Legitimate political debate is often degraded through the use of aggressive language, rife with insults, falsehoods, and caricatures of opponents’ positions, instead of proposals and arguments supporting one’s own positions. This destructive dynamic is exacerbated when the misuse of social media and the sensationalism of certain media outlets create a public debate dominated by emotional reactions rather than well-reasoned reflections.
- The ultimate result of this degradation is a growing loss of trust in institutions, in the people who represent and manage them, and, ultimately, in democratic politics itself as an instrument of coexistence. In this way, the overall functioning and legitimacy of institutions are put at risk, benefiting proposals contrary to democracy. Degradation of political debate and authoritarianism feed each other, as is happening in other parts of Europe and in our own political scenario.
- For this reason, the undersigned organizations and individuals urge institutional representatives, political leaders, and communication professionals to adopt this concern as their own and to promote approaches and forms of expression that help consolidate the quality of democratic institutions as instruments for managing conflicts with personal respect and analysis of all arguments, avoiding other forms that distort, damage, and discredit them. We therefore call for a collective effort to rectify the dynamics described, improve the quality of public debate, and, consequently, protect and strengthen our democracy.
June 1, 2022
ENDORSED ENTITIES
Rafael Campalans Foundation
Catalunya-Europe Foundation
Cipriano García Foundation – CCOO
Josep Irla Foundation
Nous Horitzons Foundation
Sentit Comú Barcelona Foundation
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