Released: 14th May 2020 (With revised edition in 2021)
Published By: Head of Zeus Ltd
Number Of Pages: 330
The way we choose our leaders and national direction is in trouble; anyone paying close attention to online politics can see that. For the past five years, the democratic landscape has changed dramatically. Misinformation problems in internet forums are enormous, voter data is harvested and interrogated for unethical ends and huge amounts of dark money flow in and out of political discourse. Over this timeframe, investigative journalists have worked to reveal these dark secrets; one of the most thorough researchers, Peter Geoghegan of OpenDemocracy lays all of it bare in Democracy For Sale.
Covering a full decade of events, individuals and political shifts, the book creates a complex web of intrigue with numerous links and connections. The author argues that the likes of Brexit and Donald Trump didn’t come suddenly, but were instead a product of discontent and the growing exploitation of social media networks. Each chapter flows into the next as Peter covers the major events and where we could be heading. The range of sources used is incredibly comprehensive and a great picture of the current situation starts to take shape. By the end, you’ll understand why the modern deception tactics of politicians have proven so effective. Yet big tech companies are shown to be equally culpable as they refuse to address major problems on their platforms.
The book relies heavily on anecdotes to set the scene, perhaps a bit too much. While breaking down numerous meetings and events succeeds at setting the scene, it does become a bit samey over time. Outside of this though, Democracy For Sale is very effective at laying out modern issues. It concludes with several solution proposals and a further discussion on cronyism in the COVID-19 crisis. This is a brilliant addition to the base book that pushes Geoghegan’s research into recent topics.
Recommended?
YES: Although it makes for very sombre reading, Democracy For Sale is filled to the brim with extensive and detailed research. It’s one of the best accounts of why western democracy is currently in crisis with a broad spectrum of coverage and analysis. Above all else, Geoghegan emphasises the serious danger that plagues our modern democratic systems. Are the UK, US and European nations condemned to have their votes endlessly manipulated by nefarious online actors? Based on this book, we’re heading in that direction already and it’s a publication you should check out.
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