Sarah Harte: Democracy is gravely wounded but green shoots provide hope

We are particularly attuned to negative news in these tumultuous times but there may well be life yet in the democratic old dog

Abortion rights activists react to the failure of the recent Kansas state constitutional amendment on restricting abortion access. As the editorial in this paper pointed out, “900, 000 Kansans voted, compared with 473, 438 who turned out for a similar poll in 2018”.  Picture: Dave Kaup/AFP

There are days when tuning into the news makes you feel like the world is going to hell in a handcart.

To name a few issues: the housing crisis, cost of living pressures, rising inflation, and the increased need for food banks. Globally: climate change and how we respond ; the threat of nuclear war from several quarters; China, and America scrapping; Russian continuing with its brutal invasion of Ukraine; and, if that wasn’t enough to contend with, a question mark over the fate of western liberal democracy.