US democracy: Founding fathers to Donald Trump and Elon Musk

The military-industrial complex has always played a prominent and decisive role in American politics and decision-making. Donald Trump challenged the complex. He shattered traditional concepts of politics, media and opinion management. Against all odds, he became 47th President of US.

It has attracted a wider community of experts and political commentators who are trying to analyse and explain Donald Trump’s win. Some call it result of populist politics, waning role of traditional media, and rise of non-traditional media, etc. Others are trying to explain it through the lens of post-truth era outcomes. Donald Trump’s voters call it win of the people against the deep state and big pockets.

A deep dive into the election result and its causes indicates the real reasons seem to be ignored to a greater extent. There is less discussion about the role of social and economic security system, and how it played a defining role in the rise of Donald Trump. It is common sense that people need secure living conditions, decent and sustainable livelihoods, equal opportunity to grow and societal dignity. Failure of government or system to deliver social and economic security compels people to rebel against the system and look for alternatives.

However, it does not happen suddenly; it takes time and momentum is built step by step. First, people ask the government or system to look at their condition and try to come up with better plans for their improvement. People want change. The US had this moment when Barack Obama came into power with the slogan “Change”. Second, the failure to improve situation leads people to protest and agitate against the system. The rise of Donald Trump in 2016 was a clear sign that people were not happy with the system and wanted a bigger change.

Third, if the first two options fail to deliver, people will demand a forceful change of system or government. A wise government or system considers it an early warning and immediately goes for course correction because, beyond that, the State cannot afford it.

Sadly, instead of fixing the problems, successive governments and leaders started to blame other countries for their economic downfall. They picked a fight with China and unleashed a trade war on China. They adopted the country’s first slogan, which further complicated the situation.

Fourth, social justice is pivotal for keeping society and the system intact. To ensure social justice, the system has to create a balance between different groups, classes, and ethnicities in the provision of services and opportunities. Unfortunately, the US could not keep a balance, and the situation started to become more complicated when the gap between have and have-not expanded.

Some people live luxurious lives and are becoming richer and richer. On the other hand, a larger part of population faces difficulties in accessing basic necessities or services like health, food, etc., and people continue to fall into a poverty trap.

The increasing inequality gap and high inflation greatly impacted the middle and lower middle class, let alone poor class, which resulted in numerous societal challenges. Ethnic and class differences started to sharpen in American society. The hard earn work of Martin Luther King Jr started to dissipate. White supremacy came back to haunt US, and black people and Asians became targets. Black Lives Matter-like movements started, but could not create much difference. Besides, the political-ideological divide is another problem that is getting stronger in the US. Many surveys have shown the number of people who do not want their children to marry into an opposing political family.

The Military-Industrial Complex (deep state) consolidated its control and started to dictate the system according to its preferences. People’s role was restricted to voting, which was influenced by deep state-sponsored opinion makers, experts, activists and media outlets. It suffocated people.

What was/is happening is against the vision and teachings of the founding fathers of US. They envisioned a people-centric system and people’s democracy. They envisioned a responsible and legitimate state is people-centric, run by rule of law, and takes responsibility for providing a prosperous and secure life.

Political and social scientists recognise these factors are critical to running a system or state rather than providing justification for the existence of a state. Therefore, President Lincoln defined democracy as government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

However, George Washington warned if the system and democracy do not work according to principles and party loyalty (in modern days personality cult) takes over national loyalty, there is a danger cunning, ambitious and unprincipled men will rise and control the system and state. Unfortunately, this has happened, and democracy has become a government of the powerful, by the powerful, and for the powerful.

Against this backdrop, people wanted a change. They were tired of the system and manipulation of the deep state. They were looking for an alternative and found that alternative in Donald Trump. He brilliantly exploited the opportunity and bypassed traditional media, experts, activists and opinion makers. He mainstreamed social media and changed the dynamics of politics. He won against all odds.

From the above discussion and the rise of Donald Trump, we can conclude two lessons. First, the rise of Donald Trump is not due to social media or populism. These are only contributing factors. The real reason is the State’s inability to provide decent livelihoods, respect and dignity, equal opportunities for growth and peaceful living to common citizens.

The system compromised and ignored the needs of the people. The State was not able to devise mechanisms to control inequality or poverty in the name of open market and liberal economy. However, the system did not realise that by weakening people, it is weakening itself.

People were tired of the deep state’s games and wanted their democratic rights back. They were determined to do anything to get them back. They fought with the most powerful deep state in the world, and they overcame it.

In conclusion, to survive the shock or streamline people’s energy, the State must return to the teachings of founding fathers and refine democracy accordingly. The State’s most important job should be to ensure a prosperous and peaceful life for everyone. Democracy must act as a cohesive force, not a source of division in society. The State can explore option of a One-Party System, as democracy in US started with this option. George Washington was a great proponent of it.

Otherwise, change process or Trump phenomenon will not stop here. The next phase will be more aggressive and complicated. The meticulous rise of Elon Musk is an indication of this. He has all the ingredients to dominate the system. He has control of strongest social media outlet, the internet system, financial system, and the business empire. In a nutshell, Elon Musk will be the system himself.