Democratic Erosion: Comparing Experiences Across Countries Over Time

As the conclusion of the Cold War spurred a tidal wave of democratization around the globe, western policy makers and pundits often assumed that even in weak, poverty-impacted states attempts to democratize were bound to succeed – at least eventually. By 2008, however, the discourse of democratization had been transformed. “Celebrations of democracy’s triumph are premature,” wrote a noted scholar of democratization; “in a few short years, the democratic wave has been slowed by a powerful authoritarian undertow.” Recently, both the quality and quantity of “democratic” states have declined. Even the world’s oldest, most taken-for-granted liberal democratic regimes increasingly flout democratic norms and policies. We begin with a focus on the United States and then consider European cases and the cases of Venezuela and Zambia. Along the way, we engage theories of populism, political polarization, “stealth authoritarianism” (politicians’ use of seemingly democratic laws for antidemocratic purposes), and theories of gradual institutional change. Satisfies the departmental sub-field major requirement in comparative/international politics.