We are witnessing a vulgarization of meritocratic logic, which, as Michael Sandel points out, poses a significant problem for achieving a collective coexistence that fosters civic virtue.
The prominence that these hate speeches have achieved is worrying because, among other things, it amplifies the visibility and resonance of already existing prejudices and contributes to the deterioration of social coexistence.
Charismatic leaders tend to surpass their governments and become engines of political projects, while those who assume power by legal means face the challenge of creating an aura of their own.
Two of the basic conditions for a healthy democracy are at risk with the perception that governments are not really run by the will of the people and the lack of transparency and fairness in elections.
Most countries that have faced autocratization processes have become autocracies despite intermediate democratic episodes. Therein lies the paramount importance of the government reaching consensus and remaining close to the people.
Populist authoritarian leaders seek to undermine the control mechanisms that limit their ability to accumulate power. Whether in presidential or parliamentary systems, their behavior resembles more that of absolute monarchs than that of democratically elected leaders.