Book Tip No. 45 (2020): Philip Kotler: Democracy in decline

London 2016.

One might think that the 2020 US presidential election between Joe Biden and Donald Trump was the reason for this book. But it was already published in 2016, at the same time it is more relevant than ever.

When one of the world’s leading marketing professors, who has written more than 50 books on marketing, turns to the topic of democracy and its decline, it is rather unusual. But it testifies to a deep personal concern about the political system in the USA. But Philip Kotler remains optimistic, as he expresses in a preface:

“Dear Reader, I hope that whatever your nationality or political persuasion, that you read and think about your present political system and consider how it can be run better and serve and satisfy the interests of more people. Pessimism only makes you depressed and give up. I am forever the optimist, because the one thing that optimism does is make you act.”

Philip Kotler puts his finger on the wound

Kotler dares to approach the really big topics: the necessary reform of the electoral system, Congress, the Executive, the judiciary, the political parties, US foreign policy and the services that administrations offer to citizens.

200 pages are enough for him to put his finger on the wound without regard for the interests and perspectives of the political parties and to formulate well-understandable recommendations for the further development of the US political system. These include topics such as:

• Measures to increase the very low voter turnout
• Statements on improving the lack of competence and qualification of political candidates
• the disadvantages of a two-party system
• the reform of the financing of parties and election campaigns
• the negative consequences of the ongoing change of constituencies (Gerrymandering).

Some considerations refer to typical US regulations, others are certainly also valid for Europe. At times one might think it was an election program. But today’s political parties are not the ones driving necessary further developments of our political system from an independent perspective.

Philip Kotler remains – see his preface – optimistic. It is to be hoped that he is right and that there are enough independent social forces to deal with these fundamental questions and that we can look at a better functioning democratic system in 20 or 30 years.