Illiberalism in Liberal Democracies

Abstract

Abstract How can we account for the persistence of illiberalism in liberal democracies? This chapter first offers a taxonomy of illiberalism to bring clarity to the empirical and theoretical aspects of the concept. Illiberal political practices in liberal democracies can be ordered along three dimensions relating to their relevant actors, targets, and sources: illiberal practices by private and state actors; disruptive illiberalism targeting democratic institutions (democratic backsliding) or liberal values (ideological illiberalism); and illiberalism originating from within the liberal democratic order or imported from outside its boundaries. Such an analytical schema allows researchers to investigate the logics causing illiberalisms as well as their consequences. The chapter then shows that illiberal practices by state actors emerge not only from anti-liberal political ideologies but also from conflicts over societal membership within political liberalism itself. Specific policy areas—illiberal pockets like migration, welfare, and security—are particularly prone to illiberal incursions.