Biden warns of the influence of autocracies at the start of the Summit for Democracy

Delivering the opening remarks at the virtual Summit for Democracy, President Biden warned against the influence of autocratic governments around the world and called democracy “the defining challenge of our time.”

Video Transcript

JOE BIDEN: This gathering has been on my mind for a long time for a simple reason. In the face of sustained and alarming challenges to democracy, universal human rights and all around the world, democracy needs champions. And I wanted to host this summit because here in the United States, we know as well as anyone that renewing our democracy and strengthening our Democratic institutions requires constant effort.

American democracy is an ongoing struggle to live up to our highest ideals, and to heal our divisions, and recommit ourselves to the founding idea of our nation, captured in our Declaration of Independence not unlike many of your documents. We say we hold these truths to be self-evident that all women and men are created equal, endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights, among them, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Democracy doesn't happen by accident. We have to renew it with each generation, and this is an urgent matter on all our parts in my view because the data we're seeing is largely pointing in the wrong direction. Freedom House reports in 2020 that marked the 15th consecutive year of global freedom and retreat.

Another recent report from the International Institute of Democracy and Electoral Assistance noted more than half of all democracies have experienced a decline in at least one aspect of their democracy over the last 10 years, including the United States. And these trends are being exacerbated by global challenges that are more complex than ever, and which requires shared efforts to address these concerns.

By outside pressure from autocrats, they seek to advance their own power, export and expand their influence around the world, and justify the repressive policies and practices as a more efficient way to address today's challenges. That's how it's sold. By voices that seek to fan the flames of social division and political polarization, and perhaps most importantly, and worrying of all, most worrying of all, by increasing the dissatisfaction of people all around the world with democratic governments that they feel are failing to deliver for their needs.

In my view, this is the defining challenge of our time. Democracy, government of the people, by the people, for the people can at times be fragile but it also is inherently resilient. It's capable of self-correction and it's capable of self-improvement. And yes, democracy is hard. We all know that. It works best with consensus and cooperation.