- 1/4
Democracy vs. Democracy
April 2019
- 16 pages
- 14 x 18.5 cm
- digital printing
- saddle stitched
João Sobral's Democracy vs. Democracy, made in 2017, is a deliberately ironic comic commenting on the flaws and contradictions of contemporary capitalist democracies by criticising certain fallacious discourses and acknowledging how difficult it is to persevere and stay hopeful.
Sobral, originally from Portugal, took inspiration from his home country's most recent general elections in 2015 and the public reactions that followed. Long story short, the most voted party didn't win a majority and tried to form a minority government, but it was the second most voted party who ended up in government, forming a parliamentary majority with the support of two smaller political parties. However, the comic can also be read as a comment on the current political climate in the UK, where Sobral currently lives and works, specifically the discussions surrounding Brexit and its democratic legitimacy.