Srinagar, June 21 -- For centuries, humanity has debated a question that remains unresolved: Which system governs better, democracy or authoritarianism?

The answer often depends on whom one asks, where they live, and whether they value freedom more than stability, accountability more than efficiency, or individual rights more than collective order. Yet perhaps the more important question is not which system is superior, but why human societies repeatedly become disappointed with both.

Democracy is frequently presented as the highest achievement of modern civilization. Citizens elect their leaders, governments can be replaced peacefully, and power is distributed among institutions rather than concentrated in one individual. In theory, de...