Editor's note: CGTN has curated a series of cartoons titled "Fading Beacon of Democracy" to illustrate how the United States has contradicted its own democratic persona. The third installment details how U.S. domestic and foreign policies run counter to its democratic spirit.

The U.S. has long proclaimed itself as a role model of democracy, quite adept at self-marketing on various international occasions. But is it real or fake?

The U.S. has long seen its electoral politics as the essence of democracy. Meanwhile, looking through the facade, the U.S.'s elections are nothing short of political reality shows. No matter who comes to power only serves the interests of the elites. It's hard for ordinary people to engage in elections fairly, not to mention rule by the people.

U.S. democracy is fraught with money. Promoting freedom, democracy, and human rights are only guises for the minority elites to exert their privileges. The high costs of election campaigns are well-designed for the wealthy and elites' manipulation through dollars, turning democratic elections into games of monetary politics.

As a result, the general public's participation in politics is restricted to a very narrow scope, being excluded from the system of power. Many vulnerable groups such as the low-income, poorly educated and homeless are deprived of the right to vote as they are restricted from voter registration and voting procedures in many states across America.

Since the 1960s in particular, the Democrats and Republicans have taken turns to exercise power, making a "multiparty system" in name only. They have fought and even shifted blame on to each other over debt ceiling, gun-control, immigration, pandemic response and other major issues that people are concerned the most about, which has led the country nowhere but to an increasingly divided situation.

Even though the U.S. is already facing a deficit of democracy, it's still imposing its democracy on other nations. It has instigated regional disputes, incited "color revolutions" and waged wars in foreign countries under the guise of defending democracy or human rights. After practicing a "Neo-Monroe Doctrine" in Latin America, instigating "color revolutions" in Eurasia, and orchestrating the "Arab Spring" in West Asia and North Africa, it found that U.S. democracy didn't work well there, and only brought turmoil and disaster.

The U.S. also plays double standard on judging democracy at home and overseas. Facing riots, the U.S. took a completely different attitude: Condemning the storming at the U.S. Capitol Hill in January 2021 as "domestic terrorism" while complementing what happened in Hong Kong in 2019 as "a beautiful sight to behold."

What's more, the U.S. often places its self-interest above international rules and exercises double standards. It has walked away from international treaties and organizations as long as they go against U.S. interests. Driven by the "America First" slogan, the U.S. is stubbornly walking down the path of unilateralism, protectionism and extreme-egoism, becoming the destroyer of international order and menace of world peace.

It's such a country, treating people unfairly at home and throwing its weight around overseas, yet wantonly judging whether a country is democratic and deciding to hold a so-called Summit for Democracy to divide the globe. As an old saying goes, actions speak louder than words. One never practicing real democracy, even though portraying itself as a model, would finally be seen through by others.

(To submit cartoons and share story ideas or feedback on our cartoon page, please contact us at cartoon_opinions@cgtn.com)