Former Diplomat and Secretary to Cabinet, Ambassador D.K Osei has said that technology and social media have the potency to destroy liberal democracies due to the tendency to misuse, manipulate and weaponize facts that affect people’s trust in institutions.
Speaking on the sidelines of the University of Ghana’s 32nd alumni lecture held at the University of Ghana Great hall, on the theme “Liberal Democracy, the New Utopias and the age of disorder”, Ambassador DK Osei said it is important to find out how social media and technology will affect democracy before it escalates.
Not only social media but, automation, and technology, in general, have had impacts on governance systems in the world
We are not responding sufficiently to those front lights but we need to find out What democracy can we bring about even in the social media environment. We need to answer those questions, if we don’t answer those questions, it will in it self destroy liberal democracy
He also cited globalization as a contributing factor to the disruption of liberal democracies.
Globalization and technology remain at the fore of liberal democracy disruption.
The Globalization of the economy and the communication has distracted national economies and limited the capacities of the nation’s state to respond within its own ambits.
Ambassador D.K Osei says major transformations are needed to make new democracies more democratic by making institutions more representative and accountable.
Now democracy must be more democratic, its institutions must be representative less distant from the deep interest of the statistics they represent and must also be less elative in outlook.
Vice chancellor Prof Nana Aba Appiah Amfo delivering the chairperson remarks reiterated the need to ensure our democracies. reflect the conditions in our society
In what ever form of liberal democracy that practice, there is the need for us to constantly reform the so to reflect the needs of our society
Ambassador D.K Osei joined the likes of Her ladyship Sophia Akuffo , H. E. Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas,
Prof. Henrietta J. A. N. Mensa-Bonsu ,Dr. AnarfiA samoah-Baah and Dr.(Mrs.) Myma Belo-Osagie Dr. Paul Acquah who have delivered an alumni lecture.
Ambassador D.K. Osei outlined some of the positives of Liberal Democracy as having the power of self-correction, protecting citizens against tyrannical concentrations of power, and providing mechanisms for challenges of public grievances and unmet needs into effective reforms.
The theme for the 32nd lecture, “Liberal Democracy, the New Utopias and the age of disorder”, was necessitated due to the current troubles facing liberal democracies which is largely due to the disconnect between citizens’ expectations for participation and changing of what constitutes decision making power.
With the advent of social media and the speed dissemination of information burgeoning groups are competing with governing elites while nationalists, populists and religious fundamentalists are subverting liberal democracies and remaking nation states their own images.
A change is required and yet, governing elites and governments that realize the need for change are more successful in making the required change. Is it the case that the transformation needed would require a new system of democracy? What would that look like and how can societies build consensus for that change?
Story by Gideon Nicholas Day | univers.ug.edu.gh
