The global democracy movement is about how people in the world collectively govern themselves and make decisions. There is broad agreement among the proponents of global democracy that individuals who are significantly affected by a decision-making process should have an equal say in that decision-making. This principle applies both to decisions that affect only the individual or those in a defined group and to those with wide-reaching effects, such as global economic policies.
Despite the popularity of this concept, a great deal of work remains to be done. Among other things, it is necessary to identify what exactly would be a global democracy and how it might be achieved. It is also important to assess the current state of global democracy. A good measure of this is the functioning of democratic institutions (in particular, electoral and media systems), as well as the pluralism that allows for a diversity of viewpoints and interests to be represented in policy-making. The global democracy index measures these criteria.
The varying trajectories of backsliding in democracy demonstrate that the democratic ideal is not yet a reality. Some countries have a track record of democratic backsliding that is mild or moderate, while others have experienced severe backsliding. This may be due to executive aggrandizement, which occurs when the incumbent government and political party gain control over democratic institutions and weaken checks and balances. It may also be caused by the inability to address issues of social justice, such as climate change, and by a lack of popular participation or support for the political system.