Democracies in Peril?: Waves of Backsliding

Democracies in Peril? examines contemporary developments and a reversal of "democraticness" in 38 democracies, comparing the effects of public policy formation and the role of the state on actual democratic performance. It provides a "systemic" approach to adjudicate the effects of this reversal and case studies on the Covid pandemic and social welfare demonstrate the complex relationship between government capacities and the quality of democracy.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 258 pages
Publication date: 19 December 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Democracies around the world are facing a concerning trend of decline, with a reversal of "democraticness" observed in many countries. In his insightful book, Democracies in Peril? Dr. Michael Laver examines and accounts for these contemporary developments, comparing 38 democracies across the globe. The focus is on the recent volatile levels of democraticness and the challenges that democracies are encountering.

The book provides a comprehensive theoretical background of what makes democracy tick, exploring the development of the liberal democratic model and examining the present state of affairs in democracies. It also examines the challenges democracies face, such as populist tendencies, the rise of authoritarianism, and the erosion of democratic institutions.

The book adopts a "systemic" approach to adjudicate the effects of this reversal in democratisation, considering factors such as popular preferences, party behaviour, institutional architecture, and policy performance. It also analyses the role of the state in shaping actual democratic performance and the effects of public policy formation on democratic outcomes.

Through case studies on the COVID-19 pandemic and the development of social welfare, the book demonstrates the complex relationship between government capacities and the quality of democracy. It approaches the question of how 38 democratic states cope with societal problems, populist tendencies, and a fast-changing world without degrading their institutional quality and legitimacy.

Democracies in Peril? is a valuable resource for students, scholars, journalists, and interested readers in comparative politics, democratisation, public administration, political economy, constitutional law, and the social sciences in general. It provides a comprehensive analysis of the challenges facing democracies and offers insights into the strategies that can be employed to promote and sustain democratic values.

Weight: 530g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032029887