January 20 marks the beginning of Donald J. Trump’s second term in the White House. Ten days before his return, Bikash (not his real name), an active member of the Reading Revellers Club of Vancouver (RRCV), a book club, proposed to discuss the impact of Trump's ascendancy on humanity, our social mores and personal values at the next meeting. Comments from Usha, his 13-year-old daughter, after Trump's election victory triggered this proposal.

“Does it mean we can from now on lie, dehumanise our opponents, subvert the law, and still become successful?” Bikash had no answer. “Trump's public conduct was contrary to the life values we raised her with.”

Bikash's predicament reminded me of my own when Uma, my seven-year-old granddaughter, quipped after Trump's win: "So I can say and do anything I want." These comments from young children point to a sense of backsliding in American democracy and the rule of law. They also represent a decline in social mores in American politics in particular and American society in general, felt by millions of people worldwide following Trump’s victory.

Backsliding of democracy and the rule of law

In a democracy, everybody is equal in the eyes of the law. But this doctrine does not seem to apply to Trump. Since declaring his candidacy for the President of the United States in 2016, through his first term as President (2016-20) and his campaign for the 2024 presidential election, until March 2024, Trump was charged with 88 criminal offences arising from four indictments: election interference, falsifying business records, attempted subversion of election and mishandling classified records. Conviction on some of these charges would have landed Trump in prison. However, existing laws were circumvented to avoid Trump’s conviction before the election.

The court proceedings on three indictments were delayed until after the election, using some legal subterfuge consented to by allegedly Trump-compliant judges. Only the hush money case—money paid illegally to buy silence from a porn star with whom Trump had extramarital affairs—proceeded to the end before the election, that too because of the case Judge’s insistence. The jury in this case found Trump guilty of 34 felony charges associated with the case. The sentencing judge reaffirmed the felony charges but unconditionally freed Trump from any financial penalty or incarceration.

All other indictments have now been dismissed by their respective judges because these cases have not been heard in court yet,and the Justice Department “is banned from prosecuting a sitting President.” Thus, once elected, Trump became free of all pending criminal cases.

Until recently, the world's young and the old looked to the US for inspiration on democracy and as a country where the rule of law is not just talked about but practised. In 1989, even the Chinese students clamouring for democracy and the rule of law erected the Statue of Liberty in Tiananmen Square for inspiration. Hong Kong’s protestors for democracy in 2019 looked upon America for inspiration.

But Trump's release from criminal cases makes all of that look like a bad joke. It is a mockery of the very idea of the rule of law. It has created a sad, if not laughable situation, where a convicted felon commands arguably the largest law enforcement authority in the world’s oldest constitutional democracy. It has weakened the case for democracy and encouraged leaders in emerging democracies, like Nepal, to continue abusing power, unfettered by the rule of law.

Erosion of social mores

Trump's primary modus operandi is never to admit he is wrong, to be brutally aggressive towards critics and to see every relationship as transactional. For Trump, success means winning and accumulating money. There is no place for social mores such as civility, traditions, social norms, or standards of public conduct in Trump’s regime. Those who circumvent the law to serve their interests are the real heroes, not those who respect it and accept its restraints. As a politician, Trump has flouted all social mores. On several occasions, he has used name-calling and profanity as strategic tools to belittle and dehumanise opponents, lied, and made false claims unlike any of his predecessors. Yet, he won the election.

Trump’s "success" has sowed serious doubt in young minds about the value of social mores—civility, mutual respect, kindness and truthfulness—values that parents worldwide try to foster in their children. Social mores have been fundamental to the advancement of civilisation, from barbarism to where we are today. Schools taught these values until recently as part of civic education. When I entered the job market, I was required to submit a character certificate with any job application. The essence of a human is his character, I was told.

When social norms are eroded, a society truly becomes dog-eat-dog. It is frightening to imagine children growing up with Trump's worldview—a Trumpian view of human relations.

The decline of democracy and the rule of law that Trumpism has brought about can be reversed if the next President happens to be more respectful of civil society and global order. If the experience from this election spurs Americans to amend their constitution, the reversal would be even more effective. But it will take a long time to restore social mores in our children if today's children grow up with Trumpian values and his ideas of success.

Hitler is no more, but the Nazi ideas and its power to disrupt remains. The White Supremacists, gun-toting Americans with Swastika bands on their arms, prove the point.

So, what is Bikash to tell his daughter? Indeed, what do we say to our children? What do Americans who do not concur with the Trumpian worldview say to their children? The answer depends on how we define success. For those who believe Trump is the epitome of success and, therefore, the model for our children, the answer is simple—go with Trumpian values, but be mindful that you will be part of a world lacking humanity and stability. If a successful life is more than just power and money, tell them Trump is an aberration. Character is our essence, and our society's survival depends on fostering the ideals of democracy and treating each other with kindness and respect, even in politics.