We pay too little attention to delivering effective government as a critical democratic value. We are familiar with the threats posed by democratic backsliding and the rise of illiberal forces in several democracies, including the United States.
When democratic governments seem incapable of delivering on their promises, this failure can lead to alienation, resignation, distrust and withdrawal among many citizens.It can also trigger demands for authoritarian leaders who promise to cut through messy politics.
At an even greater extreme, it can lead people to question democracy itself and become open to anti-democratic systems of government.當民主政府似乎無力兌現承諾，這樣的失敗可能會導致許多公民的疏離、氣餒、不信任與撤回支持
by F Zakaria · 1997CNN Ancor GPS Illiberal democracy - Wikipedia