We suggest seeing the crisis of democracy a consequence of several interrelated structural developments, specifically privatization, globalization and industry 4.0 (Schwab 2016). Examining these developments from our Synergetic Cities approach to cities as complex systems (Haken and Portugali, 2021), we show how the above three developments have destabilized democratic societies by splitting their national urban systems and societies into two stands with a communication gap between them: Highly dynamic “smart” global cities and societies with their fast pace of life, inclining toward “less-democratic liberalism”, versus stable local-national cities and societies, with their traditional economy and slow pace of life, with inclination toward “lessliberal democracy”. 

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This talk will be presented together with Hermann Haken.