Reflection
a) What challenges did you overcome throughout this inquiry project? How did you go about overcoming these challenges?
As I mentioned in my last project’s reflection post, the main challenge I encountered while completing this inquiry project was biased information. The topic I chose to research is incredibly polarizing and constant misinformation is being spread about it. From Americans hating every socialist country, calling them communist and authoritarian, to dictatorships like the Chinese Communist Party using fake data to critique democracy. Across the internet, millions of opinions are fed by lies spread by bad actors and misinformed people alike. Because of this, I tried my best to avoid opinions and stick to real facts that are backed up by historical context and/or statistics. This way, I was able to avoid biased takes and misinformation that could have swayed my readers and hindered their ability to draw conclusions. This meant I stuck to researchers and historians that were in good standing, as well as well-respected institutions such as Encyclopedia Britannica.
b) How did this inquiry change the way you think?
This inquiry project changed the way I think by making me far more cognisant of the fragility of democratic institutions. Before doing this project I was overconfident and arrogant about the state of democracy across the world, but my research has shown me that virtually any country was a few steps away from becoming a dictatorship. Throw in some economic instability, external influences, and hateful rhetoric, and you’ve got yourself an authoritarian cocktail. By studying historical examples of failed democracies, I am now also able to recognize warning signs that can forecast democratic collapse in my country. These signs include a disinterest in following democratic processes, attempting to consolidate an extraordinary amount of power, and unifying the population behind the hate of a certain group.
c) How did this investigation impact your future decisions?
This investigation impacted my future decisions by making me far more interested in being an active participant in my region’s democratic institutions and processes. Now that I understand that democracy is not an invincible trait of a country that stays in place regardless of what people do, I will try my best to promote a healthy democratic system. This includes participating in town halls, referendums, development propositions, and elections. On top of this, knowing what to look out for in wanna-be-dictator electoral candidates, I now know who to avoid during elections.
d) What impact will this investigation have on others locally and/or globally?
This investigation will impact others locally and globally by educating them on one of the most misinformation filled, yet also one of the most important topics for humans. Before reading my blog posts, many individuals may have had a basic understanding of what democracy and authoritarianism are, but perhaps not what the difference was between them and the pros and cons of each one. With this investigation, I provided others with unbiased information that will allow them to make a judgement on these systems of government. At the same time, this investigation will help others by helping them understand how to promote healthy democracy in their community and how to recognize warning signs that their so-called “democratic leaders” in fact dream of one day becoming a dictator.