democratic backsliding
Definition
Democratic backsliding refers to state-led debilitation or elimination of the political institutions sustaining an existing democracy, characterized by processes such as weakened institutional checks, executive overreach, and erosion of individual rights. Social identity and collective memory shape how populations respond to democratic backsliding, with stronger democratic group identification, perceptions of injustice, and perceived group efficacy predicting collective action in defense of democracy, while collective memories that valorize authoritarian stability or associate democracy with chaos may dampen resistance. During periods of democratic decline, individuals' support for or opposition to government actions that signal backsliding carries psychological consequences, with alignment to government actions associated with higher well-being and opposition associated with lower well-being.
Sources: Lavie-Driver & Linden (2026), Wu et al. (2026)
Related Terms
Applications
Democratic Backsliding and Collective Action
Collective action responses to democratic backsliding vary across societies. This variation is shaped by how social identity and collective memory interact to influence responses to democratic backsliding and predict whether individuals and groups will mobilize collectively.
Sources: Lavie-Driver & Linden (2026)
Democratic Backsliding and Well-being
Democratic backsliding impacts subjective well-being, with partisan differences emerging in how people experience happiness and life satisfaction during periods of democratic decline. Support for or opposition to government actions that signal democratic backsliding carries distinct psychological consequences, with those supporting such actions reporting higher well-being while those opposing them experiencing lower well-being.
Sources: Wu et al. (2026)
