Showing papers in "Democratization in 2021"
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TL;DR: Piketty as mentioned in this paper focuses on the interaction between ideology and capital over the last few hundred years, in both Western countries and selected non-western countries, including Russia, Brazil an...
Abstract: Piketty’s new book focuses on the interaction between ideology and capital over the last few hundred years, in both Western countries and selected non-Western countries, including Russia, Brazil an...
117 citations
TL;DR: A global democratic recession began in 2006 and has persisted over the past 14 years as mentioned in this paper, which is the longest such economic crisis in the history of the world, and is the worst since World War II.
Abstract: Between 1974 and 2005, a majority of states became democratic for the first time in history. However, a global democratic recession began in 2006 and has persisted – and deepened – over the past 14...
68 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the role of instrumentalization in Turkey's authoritarianization under the AKP rule is analyzed. But, there is still a gap in this literature with regards to the role role played by instrumentalization.
Abstract: Several studies have analysed different aspects of Turkey’s authoritarianisation under the AKP rule. However, there is still a gap in this literature with regards to the role of instrumentalization...
43 citations
TL;DR: This article argued that the division of society into mutually distrustful Us versus Them (Us versus Them) camps in which political identity becomes a social identity fosters autocratization by incentivizing c...
Abstract: “Pernicious polarization” – the division of society into mutually distrustful Us versus Them camps in which political identity becomes a social identity – fosters autocratization by incentivizing c...
39 citations
TL;DR: The results suggest that democracies are more resilient when strong judicial constraints on the executive are present and democratic institutions were strong in the past, and economic development is only associated with resilience to onset of autocratization, not to resilience against breakdown once autocrats begun.
Abstract: This article introduces a novel conceptualization of democratic resilience - a two-stage process where democracies avoid democratic declines altogether or avert democratic breakdown given that such autocratization is ongoing. Drawing on the Episodes of Regime Transformation (ERT) dataset, we find that democracies have had a high level of resilience to onset of autocratization since 1900. Nevertheless, democratic resilience has become substantially weaker since the end of the Cold War. Fifty-nine episodes of sustained and substantial declines in democratic practices have occurred since 1993, leading to the unprecedented breakdown of 36 democratic regimes. Ominously, we find that once autocratization begins, only one in five democracies manage to avert breakdown. We also analyse which factors are associated with each stage of democratic resilience. The results suggest that democracies are more resilient when strong judicial constraints on the executive are present and democratic institutions were strong in the past. Conversely and adding nuance to the literature, economic development is only associated with resilience to onset of autocratization, not to resilience against breakdown once autocratization has begun.
38 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors analyzed the state of democracy in the world in 2020 and found that the world is still more democratic than it was in the 1970s and 1980s, but a trend of autocratization is ongoing and affecting 25 countries in...
Abstract: This article analyses the state of democracy in 2020. The world is still more democratic than it was in the 1970s and 1980s, but a trend of autocratization is ongoing and affecting 25 countries in ...
38 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors tackle the puzzle of how Turkey's ruling Islamist populist Justice and Development Party (AKP) was able to co-opt the far-right Nationalist Action Party (MHP) and to ensure that the MHP would remain neutral.
Abstract: This article tackles the puzzle of how Turkey’s ruling Islamist populist Justice and Development Party (AKP) was able to co-opt the secularist far-right Nationalist Action Party (MHP) and to ensure...
31 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors attempt to reconcile competing positions in an important debate about the relationship between regime type and human development, and they contend that this empirical relationship is continge.
Abstract: This study attempts to reconcile competing positions in an important debate about the relationship between regime type and human development. We contend that this empirical relationship is continge...
30 citations
TL;DR: In many cases, civil society has often been the last line of defence against campaigns to undermine liberal rights and freedoms as discussed by the authors, and civil society activists have been criticised in many cases.
Abstract: Amidst a global wave of democratic regression, civil society has often been the last line of defence against campaigns to undermine liberal rights and freedoms. In many cases, society activists hav...
27 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors argue that democratic erosion is on the rise, with incumbents slowly undermining the pillars of democratic competition such as political freedoms, clean elections, and a free press.
Abstract: Worldwide, democratic erosion is on the rise, with incumbents slowly undermining the pillars of democratic competition such as political freedoms, clean elections, and a free press. While such grad...
26 citations
TL;DR: Democracy is under threat today and scholars agree that the main challenge is not sudden regime breakdown, but rather the gradual erosion of key institutions and norms because of growing public distrust as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Democracy is under threat today and scholars agree that the main challenge is not sudden regime breakdown, but rather the gradual erosion of key institutions and norms because of growing public sup
TL;DR: In this article, social science has provided a variety of explanations why democratic regimes have lost democratic regime quality, including the following: "Democratic regression has become a worrying phenomenon in the last years.
Abstract: Democratic regression has become a worrying phenomenon in the last years. Social science has provided a variety of explanations why democratic regimes have lost democratic regime quality. Against t...
TL;DR: Given Asia-Pacific's diversity and the large variance of potentially relevant causal factors, the region presents social scientists with a natural laboratory to test competing theories of democrati... as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: Given Asia-Pacific’s diversity and the large variance of potentially relevant causal factors, the region presents social scientists with a natural laboratory to test competing theories of democrati...
TL;DR: In response to this development, research on the causes and processes of democratic declines has blossomed as discussed by the authors, which has become major threats to democracy across the world, especially in the US.
Abstract: Illiberalism and authoritarianism have become major threats to democracy across the world. In response to this development, research on the causes and processes of democratic declines has blossomed...
TL;DR: The literature on democratic backsliding has not yet systematically investigated how civil society influences back-sliding processes, it generally assumes that civil society organizations (CSO....
Abstract: While the literature on democratic backsliding has not yet systematically investigated how civil society influences backsliding processes, it generally assumes that civil society organizations (CSO...
TL;DR: Although there is a broad consensus among political scientists that polarization is detrimental to democracy, very few empirically investigate the links between political polarization and democrati... as discussed by the authors, however, they did not examine the relationship between polarization and electoral outcomes.
Abstract: Although there is a broad consensus among political scientists that polarization is detrimental to democracy, very few empirically investigate the links between political polarization and democrati...
TL;DR: The international dimension of authoritarian resilience is receiving increased attention by scholars of comparative politics and international relations alike as mentioned in this paper, which suggests that autocratic resilience is correlated with the resilience of states.
Abstract: The international dimension of authoritarian resilience is receiving increased attention by scholars of comparative politics and international relations alike. Research suggests that autocratic sta...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors argue that contemporary autocratization is typically the result of a long sequence of events and gradual processes, and that democratic actors can disrupt such autocratisation sequences in order to enhance democra...
Abstract: Contemporary autocratization is typically the result of a long sequence of events and gradual processes. How can democratic actors disrupt such autocratization sequences in order to enhance democra...
TL;DR: In the global trend of democratic backsliding, Hong Kong provides an illustrative case of how democratic institutions could be degenerated by "exporting autocracy" as mentioned in this paper, where Hong Kong's semi-democrats were exported to China.
Abstract: In the global trend of democratic backsliding, Hong Kong provides an illustrative case of how democratic institutions could be degenerated by “exporting autocracy”. After 1997, Hong Kong's semi-dem...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors highlighted the consolidation of constitutional leadership turnover in electoral democracies in Africa and highlighted the importance of the institutionalization of politics in Africa, highlighting the need to support the transition of political leadership.
Abstract: Recent scholarship on the institutionalization of politics in Africa has highlighted the consolidation of constitutional leadership turnover in electoral democracies. However, leadership turnover i...
TL;DR: The authors compared two divergent cases of executive aggrandizement in the Asia-pacific region, i.e., the United States and China, and found that both cases affect opposition pushback.
Abstract: How do different kinds of democratic backsliding affect opposition pushback? To contribute to the answer, this article compares two divergent cases in the Asia-Pacific – “executive aggrandizement” ...
TL;DR: Populist politicians surrounded by military allies are a frequent sight in countries that have experienced democratic backsliding as mentioned in this paper and they sometimes seek protection in the military, who in turn l...
Abstract: Populist politicians surrounded by military allies are a frequent sight in countries that have experienced democratic backsliding. Populists sometimes seek protection in the military, who in turn l...
TL;DR: There has been a steady rise in the use of emergency rule for subverting democratic institutions while still following constitutional rules as discussed by the authors, and emergency rule provides opportunities for aspiring autocrats to subvert democratic institutions.
Abstract: Emergency rule provides opportunities for aspiring autocrats to subvert democratic institutions while still following constitutional rules. There has been a steady rise in the use of emergency rule...
TL;DR: The authors demonstrate that the countries' membership in cultu... is not a sign of democratic backsliding, but rather a sign that the culture of autocracy-vs-democracy is weak.
Abstract: Recent accounts of democratic backsliding are negligent about the cultural foundations of autocracy-vs-democracy. To bring culture back in, I demonstrate that (1) the countries’ membership in cultu...
TL;DR: The EU is surrounded by areas of limited statehood (ALS) and contested orders (CO) in its southern and eastern neighbourhood as mentioned in this paper, and resilience has become a focus of attention in the academic debate on ho...
Abstract: The EU is surrounded by areas of limited statehood (ALS) and contested orders (CO) in its southern and eastern neighbourhood. Resilience has become a focus of attention in the academic debate on ho...
TL;DR: In urban slums, people are often depicted as helpless and lacking in agency, forced to rely on government services as mentioned in this paper, which is not the case for many of the people living in slums.
Abstract: Millions of people across the world live in urban slums. Enduring cramped living conditions and poor basic services, slum residents are often depicted as helpless and lacking in agency, forced to d...
TL;DR: A large body of scholarship points to the importance of legislatures in authoritarian regimes, arguably making them more stable and durable as mentioned in this paper, and suggests that legislatures could, for example, perform a co-opting fun...
Abstract: A large body of scholarship points to the importance of legislatures in authoritarian regimes, arguably making them more stable and durable. Legislatures could, for example, perform a co-opting fun...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a business case for democracy, focusing on the impact of democracy on economic growth, and show that it is less robust for growth than many other de...
Abstract: I present a business case for democracy, focusing on the impact of democracy on economic growth. This relationship is widely studied, and results have been less robust for growth than many other de...