view on espresso.economist.com -- Dec 19th 2018
In retreat: democracy
- democracy 民主国家；民主政体；民主制度
Over the coming week, Espresso will be publishing its year-in-review editions. Today, politics
- year-in-review 年监【各年度重要人物、事件】
In 1941 there were only a dozen democracies; by 2000 only eight states had never held a serious election.
- dozen 十二个；十来个
But since the financial crisis of 2007-08, democracy has ebbed.
- ebb 退潮；衰落
In a liberal democracy, a clear boundary exists between the ruling party and the state.
This system is now under siege.
- under siege 被包围
In many countries, voters are picking leaders who do not respect it, and gradually undermine it, creating what Viktor Orban, Hungary’s prime minister, proudly calls “illiberal democracy”.
- undermine 逐渐削弱（信心、权威等）；使逐步减少效力；从根基处破坏；挖…的墙脚
When enough checks and balances have been removed, a would-be autocrat finds it easier to neuter democracy itself, by shutting down the opposition (as in Turkey) or neutering the legislature (as in Venezuela).
- autocrat 独裁者；专制统治者；专制君主
- neuter 使失去作用
The mature democracies of the West are not yet in serious danger.
- in danger 在危险中
Donald Trump may scorn liberal norms, but America’s checks and balances are strong, and will outlast him.
- scorn 蔑视；看不起；拒绝
- outlast 比…持续时间长
The real threat is to less mature democracies, where institutions are weaker and democratic habits less ingrained.
- ingrained 根深蒂固的；日久难改的；深嵌并难以清除的
