Democratic Backsliding & Populism (Week 11)
The note primarily discusses the debate surrounding global democratic backsliding, presenting a nuanced perspective. It highlights the argument by Lührmann et al. that concerns about widespread democratic erosion are often "overstated", positing that declines observed over the past years are moderate and that the world is still more democratic than before the end of the Cold War. They argue that democratic erosion is concentrated in certain countries and specific domains (e.g., media freedom, electoral integrity), rather than being a universal phenomenon.
The note elaborates on the methodologies used by key organizations like the Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Project, which relies on expert surveys, and Freedom House, which converts civil liberties and political rights into a scale. Potential issues with expert-coded data, such as subjectivity and knowledge gaps, are also acknowledged. Despite overall improvements in global average democracy scores since the 20th century, the note points out a noticeable dip in established Western democracies, including the U.S., due to issues like deteriorating electoral integrity, government intimidation, and shrinking media pluralism.
Conversely, the note also presents arguments for alarm regarding backsliding, citing cases like Venezuela, Turkey, and Hungary, and identifying twin threats: terrorist attacks leading to the trade of liberty for security, and the rise of populist-nationalist forces. Populism is explored as a democratic threat through mechanisms like majoritarian absolutism, anti-establishment framing, and nationalist identity politics. The discussion concludes with ethical and practical implications, emphasizing the importance of vigilance, norm protection, and proactive policy prescriptions such as strengthening electoral integrity and bolstering watchdog institutions.