The degree to which the powers that be seriously view any of the above as a threat is open to conversation, given the degree to which hyperbole is a default setting of political discourse.
The phrase "Liberal democracy" itself had little literal meaning, given the general consolidation of power in the West away from federalist frameworks, coupled with a managerial framework that has sought to increasingly heighten the power of bureaucrats and alleged public policy "Experts" at the expense of individual rights.
Nothing has highlighted how meaningless both the term "Liberal democracy" and the performative concern about its well-being are than the policy response to covid this past year.
The established narrative of the elites has long been that the expanding powers of modern progressive states are necessary to protect minority groups that may be threatened by majorities motivated by vulgar nationalism, traditionalism, and other loyalties viewed as primitive and regressive by those in power.
In the US, we've seen the erosion of Senate procedure designed to make the upper chamber a moderating force in political decision-making; in the EU, we've seen increasing aggression on the part of the EU in subverting national political decisions; and in general, we've seen a growing appetite for censoring political debate and discussion on the largest communications platforms.
It is with some irony that we are seeing the expert class increasingly sound like dissident political pundit Stefan Molyneux: "The time for arguments has passed." Any concerns that once existed about the individual rights of those concerned about covid vaccines-including those who have a natural immunity to the virus from prior exposures-are quickly being dismissed by those in power.
Just as democracy has long been whatever people in power want it to be, so has liberalism become a cheap intellectual cover for the most heinous of policy aims.
https://mises.org/wire/covid-tyranny-destroys-myth-liberal-democracy
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