Alternatives to Western liberalism are dangerous ideologies

While western liberalism is not a perfect system, many argue that it is far better than any other political and social ideologies. For example, populist ideology revolves around a group or leader who makes himself a savior figure.^[1] Often, it is framed through resentment, with the working class neglected by the "elites." This ideology can emerge from the far-left or the far-right.^[1] Even if populism does not bring a complete end to liberal democracy in Europe and elsewhere, it remains a dangerous force against many of the fundamental principles of liberalism, namely democracy and human rights.^[1] Populism stands as an internal problem for liberal democracies, but there are numerous external problems as well. There are autocracies on the rise, theocratic regimes, and meritocracies. Most notably, there is China with its incredible economic achievements through the implementation of a market-Leninist system, to name a few examples.^[2] Liberal democracies are the norm for many people. Impoverished and oppressed people worldwide still seek out wealthy liberal democracies.^[3] In contrast, Russia is not a friend to the poor or the wealthy, nor is it a destination for much foreign investment.^[3] Liberalism, at its core, is about acknowledging and safeguarding a domain that is outside of the government's scope of influence—a domain in which human beings can have independence and privacy.^[2] As the U.S. Declaration of Independence states, all human beings are endowed with "certain unalienable rights." Liberal governments are supposed to protect these rights, not alter or curtail them.^[2]