Despite the setback suffered by Republicans in the 2022 midterms, the global democracy crisis shows no signs of disappearing anytime soon. Although Donald Trump has been its most visible symbol, it is bigger than any one person, movement or nation.
Fake populist leaders, neofascists and authoritarians are adept at using the public's grievances and pain — both real and imagined — as fuel for their political project of obtaining and keeping unlimited power. Such leaders created political personality cults built on manipulating the loneliness, anxiety, anger and collective emotional pathology below the surface of a nation or community.
