Commentary: U.S. is making a mockery of democracy

The U.S. Capitol building is seen a day after supporters of former U.S. President Donald Trump stormed it in Washington, D.C., the United States, Jan. 7, 2021. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

BEIJING, March 29 (Xinhua) -- At a time when the world yearns for unity, the so-called "Summit for Democracy" co-hosted by the United States is sowing division, estrangement and hatred by blatantly drawing an ideological line between countries.

The purported aim of the second edition of this summit is to "address emerging challenges to democracy." However, it is evident that this gathering has little to do with genuine democracy and, in fact, is antithetical to democratic values.

Democracy is a universal right, not an exclusive right of a few countries. The summit has created a conspicuous division between countries deemed "democratic" and those labeled "non-democratic" by the United States. However, in today's diverse and interconnected global landscape, such a simplistic black-and-white dichotomy is neither pragmatic nor beneficial.

Whether expressed through grandiloquent rhetoric or maneuvers driven by hidden agendas, neither can mask the real intention of the United States to sustain its hegemony by playing bloc politics and using democracy as a tool to achieve its political objectives.

Such a summit is a ludicrous spectacle that flagrantly disregards the spirit of democracy and exposes Washington's attempt to maintain its dominance under the guise of promoting democracy.

If democracy, a shared value of humanity, is likened to coffee, then it is evident that the world offers a diverse array of blends, and Americano is by no means the only option. Furthermore, the United States' own track record on democracy is far from impeccable, and as such, they lack the moral high ground to lecture others on the subject.

Despite facing turmoil and chaos in its own democratic system, Washington continues to assert itself as the epitome and beacon of democracy for the world. However, Uncle Sam's qualifications as a democratic role model are highly dubious at best.

Americans themselves, actually, are becoming increasingly disenchanted with their democracy. The pride of Americans in their democracy has plummeted from 90 percent to 54 percent over the past two decades, according to a joint survey by the Washington Post and the University of Maryland.

The Brookings Institution concluded in a 2022 report that the once proud American democracy is facing a systemic crisis and is accelerating its decline. The impact is spreading to all fronts in domestic politics, the economy and society, posing a mortal threat to the legitimacy and health of capitalism.

In addition, the U.S. elections are actually the "game of the rich." This was vividly illustrated by the 2022 midterm elections, which had a price tag of more than 16.7 billion U.S. dollars, breaking the 2018 record of 14 billion dollars, as found by Reveal, an online platform tracking the flow of political donations in the country.

The nature of American politics has become increasingly apparent as money-driven, with power being concentrated among the wealthy and politicians serving their own interests.

The proverbial phrase "All roads lead to Rome" reminds us that every country has the right to chart its own course. Unfortunately, the United States has often caused tragic outcomes by attempting to impose its own form of democracy on other nations.

The American style of democracy has not only been seriously questioned domestically but also gained notoriety overseas, and the second "Summit for Democracy" is just another U.S. tool to maintain its hegemony.