Democratic Backsliding - the unfavorable trajectory for any democracy

Democratic backsliding marks the regression of democratic principles, and the gradual change in democratic institutions. Conventional democratic norms start to deteriorate, and the legitimacy of our system begins to weaken. It is essential to understand the term democratic backsliding to assess, and understand the health of our global democracy. Let’s dive in and learn what the effects of democratic backsliding are, and what communities can do to make democracies more resilient!

 Effects of Democratic Backsliding:

Democratic Backsliding has many negative effects, and significantly hinders civic engagement. 

The first negative impact of democratic backsliding is that it breaks trust. When a democracy is prone to gridlock or is neglectful of its citizens, that is a strong indicator it is weak. According to the Marist Poll, 77% of Americans believe that there is a serious threat to our democracy - an alarming statistic. If Americans have doubt in our democracy, then political polarization is bound to increase. This will make it more difficult for Americans to have fruitful and constructive conversations to get legislation productively passed. When a decline in public trust occurs, confidence is lost. A loss of confidence can undermine the strength of a democracy, and citizens can lose optimism for change. 

Secondly, democratic backsliding degrades rule of law, which is a democratic principle that holds everyone - including politicians- accountable, and liable under the law. Rule of law ensures people take accountability for their actions, and does not position particular people“above the law”. Rule of law is a foundational principle that provides consistency to democratic institutions, and provides legitimacy to the division of powers. It is essential in a true democracy to avert any arbitrary legislation or electoral fraud. 

The third negative impact of democratic backsliding is that it infringes upon civil liberties. The regression of democratic institutions has the ability to hinder basic civil liberties such as freedom of speech, freedom of religion, the right to privacy, the right to a fair trial, and many more. Civil liberties are important to ensure each citizen feels safe and heard. Civil liberties have the power to amplify our voices and avert tyranny. Collectively, we need to promote a fruitful society where communities foster inclusion and support a safe social environment. As democratic backsliding has the ability to weaken civic norms in democratic governments, it is essential to uphold transparency, and support oversight into our government and media channels. This will actively protect our unalienable rights.

How Democratic Backsliding can be prevented: 

Democratic regression is not an easy fix, and continues to be a worldwide concern. Citizens have the power to reverse and prevent democratic backsliding from becoming a pattern in the future. As citizens, we need to collectively address immediate threats, and potential faults in our democracy. As a society we should want our democracy to become stronger and foster accountability.

  Firstly, It is important to be aware of the rise of populism. An article by Stanford University warns that authoritarian regimes such as Russia and China are spreading the word that democracy is out of date and that centralized power prevents stagnation. According to Stanford University, populism is a threat to democracy “when there is a permissive international climate for it to do so.” It is crucial for society to be  aware of trends in globalization, and that populism does not avert democratic pluralism fostering an inclusive society. Populism is a slippery slope, and becomes a threat when one group asserts its dominance or limits basic freedoms. Populist leaders tend to have a goal to control or manipulate democratic institutions such as courts and media outlets. Marginalized citizens will become overlooked if populism continues to expand, confining them to narrow generalizations, and heightened discriminatory behavior. Yale University’s Institution for Social and Policy Studies shares insight into autocratization. Susan Stokes, director of the Chicago Center on Democracy, shares her lens into backsliding and claiming that regressing democracies “around the world have been led either by right-wing ethnonationalists or by left-wing populists”.  The only way to avoid democratic backsliding is to build institutions that people trust, and can confide in. It is vital that those in charge of our government practice democratic values as well, in order to increase the legitimacy of these institutions. It is important that democratic quality should not  be compromised by political elites. Overall, populism can polarize our society, and has the ability to destabilize America’s democratic institutions. Therefore having role models that hold democratic standards to a high regard will help stabilize our system. 

Secondly, as a society we need to empower and engage others in civil society. It is important that citizens feel empowered to participate in local elections, partake in civil protest, and modernize laws through legal reform. Additionally, citizens can get involved in their local communities as a volunteer or join advocacy groups to become proactive, and address specific concerns at the local level. It is important to hold those in power accountable, and joining advocacy groups such as: NAACP, Amnesty International,and American Civil Liberties Union,  will give you a platform to collaborate on initiatives that promote democratic resilience. 

Overall, it is imperative that as a society we increase trust in our democratic bodies by fostering civic engagement. You can make an impact in your own community by staying up to date with your local news, ensuring misinformation is not being disseminated, and being an advocate for democratic principles. Being an informed citizen and encouraging public vigilance is the best course of action you can take to safeguard our democracy. When citizens feel disconnected from their communities and lack knowledge of current events, they are more likely to feel alienated and more susceptible to authoritarian beliefs. Therefore, set an example in your community by staying in the know and spotting the threats to democracy early on. 

Conclusion:

As economic hardship, globalization, corruption, and disparities threaten the stability of democracies around the world, it is important to be aware of polarization, and emerging cleavages that decay democratic principles. Together, we can terminate this destructive pattern, and extinguish the act of political leaders corroding democracy for a partisan advantage.