Can the private sector help safeguard democracy? The answer is yes

At Davos last week, sessions like “Is Democracy in Trouble?” signaled a shift in corporate perceptions of democratic erosion. The fragmentation of the liberal international order is fueling domestic polarization, threatening global information integrity, and, as the World Economic Forum’s latest Global Risks Report makes clear, creating risks that no company can ignore.

The question is: Can the business community do anything about it?

Growing cynicism surrounds the role of the business community in protecting democracy. “[T]hat’s the thing I got most wrong about Silicon Valley,” tech columnist Steven Levy wrote about tech leaders who once “seemed fearless.” With Big Tech now accused of succumbing to political pressure, pundits increasingly portray capitalism as a threat to democracy.