• Can democracy rebuild trust?

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    Jordan Harbinger, in a conversation with , highlights the resilience and adaptability of democracies when it comes to rebuilding trust. Harari emphasizes that democracies are inherently better at learning from their mistakes compared to dictatorships. This is crucial because democracies have self-correcting mechanisms such as independent media, courts, and elections that help identify and rectify mistakes. These elements enable democratic societies to adapt and change course, even amid crises, thereby restoring trust over time 1:

    1. Learning from Mistakes: Democracies can learn from their mistakes and adapt, while dictatorships tend to amplify their errors due to lack of accountability and openness.
    2. Self-correcting Mechanisms: Elements like independent media and elections ensure leaders can be held accountable and replaced if necessary.
    3. Historical Resilience: Despite past crises threatening democracy, it has consistently adapted and survived, unlike rigid totalitarian regimes which often collapse under their own unacknowledged errors.

    Overall, Harbinger and Harari imply that the inherent flexibility and accountability mechanisms within democratic systems can indeed help rebuild trust.

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