I have been thinking a lot about the disadvantages of democracy lately, and honestly there are several points that are not discussed enough.

First is the issue of speed. Anyone who has followed U.S. politics knows how frustrating it is to see an important bill get stuck for years in Congress because of conflicting interests everywhere. Democratic processes with multiple parties and pressure groups end up being incredibly slow, and that is a real problem when urgent decisions need to be made.

Then there is what many call the tyranny of the majority. If the system is solely based on majority votes, what happens to minorities? Their voices are marginalized. I have seen how in several countries the most restrictive immigration policies gain support simply because the majority group pushes them, without really considering those affected.

Another point that worries me is how democracy can be manipulated by charismatic figures. Look at Hungary with Viktor Orbán, who used nationalist and anti-immigrant rhetoric to consolidate power, dividing society in the process. It’s almost ironic: a system designed to protect freedoms can be used to undermine them.

And well, the disadvantages of democracy also include infrastructure costs. For it to truly work, you need political education, strong institutions, developed civic culture. That costs time and money. Countries emerging from authoritarian regimes know this well: rebuilding all of that is a long and difficult process.

Finally, in times of crisis, democracy shows itself to be slow. During the pandemic, we saw how democratic countries had to take drastic measures, restricting freedoms to act quickly. And that creates pressure to concentrate power in fewer hands, which is ironic considering democratic principles.

I’m not saying it’s a bad system, but these are the real challenges that need to be acknowledged.