When Democracy Falters, They Come for the Youth
Trisha Swed, Ph.D.
Author, Non-Profit Leadership Development Consultant and Assistant Professor of Communication
I recently saw a post on LinkedIn celebrating the deportation of a young person. It read:
"The adults are taking back control."
That sentence has been sitting with me—haunting me—because within it lies the quiet part said out loud.
Who are these young people being shut down? What do they grow up to be?
And these adults "taking control"? Eventually, they will become obsolete. That’s the reality of time. But the problem is, if the only legacy they leave behind is fear, disempowerment, and exclusion, then they have already won.
This is how power is consolidated. This is how opportunity gaps widen. This is how communities are kept in cycles of desperation while a select few maintain their grip on control.
Throughout history, when democracy begins to fail, we see the same pattern: They come for the youth.
How Do Authoritarian Regimes Control the Future?
They do it through indoctrination—shaping ideology from an early age. They do it through silencing—criminalizing dissent and shutting down youth-led movements. They do it through fear—making examples out of those who dare to speak out.
Look at history:
These are not just stories from the past. We see these tactics playing out today in democratic nations.
Young people are demonized for demanding justice. They are punished for organizing. They are treated as threats rather than as the next generation of leaders.
In the name of “national security,” children are separated from their families at borders. In the name of “order,” they are locked away, deported, or silenced. In the name of “tradition,” they are denied access to knowledge, history, books, and critical thinking.
When young people are pushed to the margins, entire communities suffer.
What Must We Do?
If you work in leadership development, education, nonprofit work, or community organizing, your role is more important than ever.
领英推荐
We cannot just react—we must actively invest in young people now.
Here’s what that looks like:
?? Teach critical thinking, not blind obedience. Encourage young people to ask hard questions, challenge narratives, and seek multiple perspectives.
?? Create spaces where youth voices matter. Are young people part of decision-making processes in your organization, school, or community? If not, why not?
?? Build leadership programs that empower, not control. Too often, leadership training for youth is about molding them into "acceptable" leaders rather than giving them tools to shape their own path. True leadership development is about fostering autonomy, not compliance.
?? Support intergenerational collaboration. Youth and adults working together can strengthen movements, organizations, and communities. We must break the cycle where each generation starts from scratch.
?? Defend young people's rights to protest, organize, and participate in democracy. If you work with youth, be an advocate. If you’re in a leadership role, amplify their voices.
This is not just a professional responsibility—it is a moral one.
If we fail to act, we risk handing the future over to those who seek control through fear and suppression. If we do not actively build opportunities for young people to lead, challenge, and change the world, then we are complicit in a system that seeks to silence them.
The question is not whether young people will shape the future—it is who will be guiding them?
If we believe in democracy, in justice, in a future worth fighting for, then we must invest in youth leadership now. The alternative is a world where “the adults take back control” until there is no one left to challenge them. And by then, it will be too late.
Key Takeaways for Professionals
? Youth leadership development is essential to democracy. It’s not just about skills—it’s about equipping young people with the tools to think critically and challenge oppressive systems.
? History shows us what happens when youth leadership is suppressed. If we do not create spaces for young people to grow, others will step in and shape their thinking for them.
? If you work with youth, you have a role to play. Whether you are an educator, nonprofit leader, activist, or policymaker, you have the power to create opportunities for young people to lead.
? We cannot afford to be neutral. The silencing and criminalization of youth is happening right now. We must take a stand.
The future is not something we inherit—it is something we build. Let’s make sure we are building it with young people, not against them.