Democracy's backsliding in the international environment.

Area of Science:

• Political Science
• Democracy Studies
• Comparative Politics

Background:

• The late 20th century saw widespread democratic acceptance.
• The early 21st century is characterized by democratic backsliding and reduced international support for democracy.
• This creates a critical juncture for understanding democratic resilience.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how prior experience with democratic institutions influences citizen behavior amid democratic erosion.
• To assess the efficacy of citizen movements in counteracting authoritarian resurgence in the absence of foreign support.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of citizen behavior in diverse contexts with eroding or absent formal democratic institutions.
• Examination of citizen-led movements as a response to resurgent autocracy.

Main Results:

• Preliminary findings suggest that even superficial democratic experiences can shape citizen responses to institutional decline.
• The capacity of citizen movements to resist authoritarianism without external backing is under scrutiny.

Conclusions:

• Understanding citizen behavior is crucial for democratic resilience in an era of declining support and rising authoritarianism.
• Citizen agency may play a significant role in safeguarding democracy against autocratic threats.