Illiberal Democracies and Democratic Backsliding

Abstract

During democracy’s Third Wave there was a sense of optimism in the literature concerning the future of democracy, as countries around the world appeared destined for liberal democracy. That optimism has faded as systems in the past half-decade have seen the rise of illiberalism, democratic decline, or autocratization. Political systems found in every region of the world have careened between democracy and authoritarianism, with several systems adopting illiberal features. Given the rise of notable illiberal politicians such as Viktor Orbán and his Fidesz party of Hungary, Narendra Modi with the BJP in India, and Donald Trump and the Republican Party in the United States, greater attention is being paid to illiberalism. More specifically, academics, journalists, and policy practitioners seek to better understand why and how these individuals and parties use democracy itself to violate what is seen as the ideal form of self-governance: liberal democracy. The purpose of this bibliography is to provide a survey of the literature on illiberal democracy. It is by no means exhaustive, but should help seasoned and novice students of democracy as they seek to build an understanding of the concept and causes of illiberalism that appear to be becoming more common in the world today. There is no consensus within the literature over what constitutes “illiberal democracy” or even if there is such a thing. For the purpose of this bibliography, illiberal democracy is situated against the ideal of liberal democracy. Liberal democracy is more than a system wherein parties lose elections; it is also one where individual rights and liberties are secured, and the rule of law upheld. Due to the lack of a coherent conceptualization and theme of illiberal democracy, this bibliography casts a wide net to also include democratic erosion, democratic breakdown, or autocratization. The bibliography begins with two sections that explore the concept of illiberalism and democracy and whether the two are inextricably linked. In the first section, What Illiberal Democracy Is and Is Not, there are several citations which conceptualize democracy and liberalism. The following section, Illiberalism, Democracy, and Political Systems, provides more depth on how liberalism is intertwined with democratic systems. Afterwards there are two sections which explore the issue of democratic crises and the global trend toward greater illiberalism. In the subsequent sections, the reader will find literature across several themes related to illiberalism. This includes populism, polarization, and the role Mass Politics and contentious politics play in either supporting or subverting illiberalism. Following these thematic sections are sections with specific work on illiberalism in Central and Eastern Europe, the Americas, and South and Southeast Asia, along with a special look at Islam and illiberalism which overlaps significantly with the Middle East and North Africa.