Misunderstanding Democratic Backsliding

One of the most common explanations of the ongoing wave of global democratic backsliding is that democracies are failing to deliver adequate socioeconomic goods to their citizens, leading voters to forsake democracy and embrace antidemocratic politicians who undermine democracy once elected. Yet a c...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of democracy 2024-07, Vol.35 (3), p.24-37
Main Authors: Carothers, Thomas, Hartnett, Brendan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Corruption
Democracy
Economic conditions
Elections
Inequality
Policy making
Politics
Poverty
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:One of the most common explanations of the ongoing wave of global democratic backsliding is that democracies are failing to deliver adequate socioeconomic goods to their citizens, leading voters to forsake democracy and embrace antidemocratic politicians who undermine democracy once elected. Yet a close look at twelve important cases of recent backsliding casts doubt on this thesis, finding that while it has some explanatory power in some cases, it has little in others, and even where it applies, it requires nuanced interpretation. Backsliding is less a result of democracies failing to deliver than of democracies failing to constrain the predatory political ambitions and methods of certain elected leaders. Policymakers and aid providers seeking to limit backsliding should tailor their diplomatic and aid interventions accordingly.
ISSN:1086-3214
1045-5736
1086-3214
DOI:10.1353/jod.2024.a930425