Authors: Austin Akers, Brent Jensen, and Alison Schafer*
Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.” Former President Ronald Reagan’s warning was not just a call to arms—it was a prophecy.
As U.S. support for democracy promotion and international development recedes, the world’s democratic foundations are weakening. Meanwhile, authoritarian regimes are stepping into the void—not with armies, but with influence. They are masters of information warfare, flooding the digital space with propaganda, manipulating public perception, and rewriting reality itself. If democratic actors fail to adapt, they will be outpaced, outmaneuvered, and ultimately overtaken.
A fatal mistake of the democratic world has been assuming that truth will always prevail. It won’t—not without a strategy. Ideas do not spread on their own; they must be crafted, communicated, and reinforced with the same precision and force that authoritarians use to dismantle them.
While Kremlin-backed media saturates the digital landscape with disinformation, China invests billions in shaping global narratives, and autocratic leaders from Caracas to Budapest refine their messaging; democratic actors hesitate. Governments treat public diplomacy as secondary, businesses avoid engagement, and civil society organizations struggle to be heard. Social media—our most powerful tool—has become a battleground where democracies are often outmatched.
This fight belongs to all of us. Governments cannot be the sole defenders of democracy. Businesses must recognize that a stable world order serves their long-term interests. They must take responsibility for the digital ecosystems they have built, ensuring their platforms are not exploited for authoritarian propaganda. Social media companies must act decisively, advertising firms must reject authoritarian influence, and corporations must use their reach to reinforce democratic values.
Governments must stop playing defense and go on the offensive. They must make strategic communications a cornerstone of foreign policy, actively countering authoritarian narratives in real time. They must highlight democratic success stories, strengthen transparency, and ensure that democracy’s voice is louder, clearer, and more persuasive than its opposition.
Civil society must be empowered. From grassroots activists in Belarus to independent journalists in the Philippines, these front-line advocates for democracy need resources, visibility, and support. Their voices should not just be amplified—they should be instrumental in shaping the global narrative.
The consequences of failing to fight back are stark. Consider Georgia. Once a model of democratic reform in the post-Soviet space, it is now slipping back into Moscow’s sphere of influence. Russian-backed media outlets flood the airwaves with disinformation, eroding trust in democratic institutions. Economic dependencies further cement the Kremlin’s leverage. Western disengagement has left Georgia vulnerable, proving that democracy must be actively defended—or it will be lost.
China, too, has perfected the art of influence. Its Belt and Road Initiative is not just an infrastructure project; it is a global communications campaign designed to reshape governance. By controlling media, funding academic institutions, and influencing political elites, Beijing is promoting an alternative to democracy. And many are embracing it. The result? A world increasingly shaped by authoritarian values, where democracy is dismissed as inefficient and outdated.
If democracy is to survive, its defenders must move beyond passive support and take bold, decisive action. We must make the case for democracy—not just as a political system, but as the only viable path to prosperity, security, and human dignity.
Every sector must engage. Businesses must reclaim their platforms. Governments must prioritize strategic communications. Civil society must extend its reach. Citizens must demand truth over disinformation.
Franklin D. Roosevelt understood this too when he proclaimed, “Democracy cannot succeed unless those who express their choice are prepared to choose wisely. The real safeguard of democracy, therefore, is education.”
Today, that education must extend beyond policy into perception. Without a compelling, unified message, even the strongest democratic institutions are vulnerable. A failure to act will not just diminish influence; it will embolden those who seek to dismantle democracy altogether.
Democracy’s case must be made clearly, effectively, and relentlessly. If we fail to communicate its value, its adversaries will define it for us. The time to reclaim the narrative is now.
*Austin Akers, Brent Jensen, and Alison Schafer: Co-founders of Interscribe, a global strategic communications agency.
