Democide

Nature

Democide is a term that is used to refer to the murder of an individual or a group of people through direct actions that were taken by their government. This can include acts of mass murder, genocide, or politically motivated assassinations.

The systematic killing of the members of a country’s general population; mass murder outside the context of warfare.

Background

The global significance of democide emerged in the aftermath of World War II, as researchers like R.J. Rummel systematically documented state-sponsored mass killings beyond the scope of war. The term gained prominence in the late 20th century, catalyzing scholarly and public recognition of government-perpetrated atrocities worldwide. Subsequent investigations revealed the pervasive and recurring nature of democide, prompting international efforts to monitor, prevent, and address such acts across diverse political and historical contexts.

Incidence

Examples of claimed democides have happened by: the Soviet Union (62 million people killed); Communist China (35 million people killed), the Nazis (21 million people killed), Chinese nationalists (10 million people killed), and Japanese militarists (6 million people killed).

Claim

Democide is an urgent and horrifying problem that demands global attention. The systematic murder of people by their own governments is a gross violation of human rights and a stain on humanity’s conscience. Ignoring democide enables tyrants and perpetuates cycles of violence and fear. We must confront this atrocity head-on, hold perpetrators accountable, and ensure that never again do innocent lives fall victim to the unchecked power of oppressive regimes.

Counter-claim

Claiming that democide is not an important problem is deeply misguided. However, if one were to argue this, they might say: "Democide is an overblown concern; modern societies have checks and balances that make state-led mass killings virtually impossible today. Focusing on democide distracts from more pressing issues like economic inequality or climate change. Historical instances are rare exceptions, not ongoing threats, so prioritizing democide is unnecessary and diverts resources from real, current problems."