The decline of trust, the rise of Trump – and an opportunity for philanthropy

Earlier this week the people of the US elected Donald Trump to be their president for a second time. Here, Mannifera Executive Officer Harriet McCallum reflects on what the outcome means for Australia and insights from an online event – ‘US election debrief – Democracy on the ballot’ – that the collective hosted this week with a panel of thoughtful speakers.

The dynamics behind Trump’s appeal are multiple and dispersed, and they will be examined and analysed for a long time yet. Together they were enough for over 72 million Americans to vote for a candidate that could undermine the democratic institutions and norms of the US; with vast implications for human rights and social cohesion not only within their own nation, but globally as well.

How resilient America’s democracy will be to these threats remains to be seen, but there is no doubt that the risk of further democratic decay feels more pronounced today.

So what does it all mean for Australia, and for the resilience of our own democracy?

While Australia has some protective factors when compared to the US – a robust and trusted electoral system for example, and a less extreme gap in the distribution of wealth and income – there are many common fault lines.

These dynamics were unpicked at a panel discussion Mannifera held with philanthropy and civil society peers to debrief on the election. Mannifera member Deanne Weir facilitated a conversation with Sharan Burrow AC (global human rights advocate), Professor Brendon O’Connor (US Studies Centre) and Licia Heath (CEO, Women for Election). Each acknowledged that declining trust in government, the dramatic uptick of disinformation and outrage in the public discourse, and increasing economic inequality all impacted the outcome in the US. And Australia is not immune.

As Licia Heath put it searingly, “Too many people in America are vulnerable, and many have lost faith in Government. When the job market has collapsed, the housing market has skyrocketed and it’s easier to get fentanyl than baby formula, it’s hard to connect with a campaign promoting ‘joy’.”

Sharan Burrow reiterated the importance of economic inclusion saying, “We have a lot to think about in terms of how we look at distribution and support for people … without making it contestable that we would have a commitment to each other.”

The panel also agreed that there are many elements of the Australian labour, electoral and government systems that provide some protection against anti-democratic movements, such as like a strong minimum wage, more robust social safety net and compulsory, preferential voting.

Brendan O’Connor commented on the different nature of political parties in Australia versus the US, particularly that, “In the United States the parties look strong but are actually shells that individuals can usurp”.

And yet the panel also acknowledged that these protective elements cannot be taken for granted, as they were hard won and have been regularly contested throughout our history.

We know from our work at Mannifera that we face old and new challenges to democracy in Australia, with our grant partners working on issues like the entrenched challenge of ‘state capture’ by powerful industries and renewed incursions on the right to protest – as well as a ‘new constellation of challenges’ outlined in a recent report from the Department of Home Affairs. The deterioration of trust in public institutions is one such challenge, as is the proliferation of dis and misinformation and its impact on social cohesion and civil discourse.

The remedies aren’t easy or quick. And while many visionary civil society leaders have been diligently plugging away at credible solutions, they’ve had limited attention from Australian philanthropy until very recently. In fact, despite the role a strong democracy plays in safeguarding so many fundamental rights and issues that philanthropists care deeply about, the work of the fledgling ‘democracy sector’ in Australia is dramatically underfunded.

It’s why Mannifera was set up, and why we’re committed to actively engaging the philanthropic sector in a discussion about the opportunities to do more. If you’d like to learn more about the role philanthropy can play, we encourage you to get in touch with us. Find out more about the work of our grant partners, or sign up for our updates and events.

Australian democracy has always been a work in progress. It’s time to redouble efforts to protect and refine it, guided by a commitment to inclusion and shared prosperity.

Mannifera is a collective of Australian philanthropic funders supporting a fairer Australia. Its mission is to invest in civil society partners advocating for structural change.

A recording of ‘US election debrief – Democracy on the ballot’ is now available online.