Theoretical and Comparative Implications
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 11 January 2024
This chapter summarizes my theory about the restrictive “necessary conditions” for the populist destruction of democracy; conversely, democracy proves resilient when these conditions are absent. More broadly, this book reaffirms the crucial importance of democracies’ institutional frameworks and corroborates the analytical value of my political-strategic definition of populism. While my theory emphasizes the main domestic factors that condition populism’s regime impact, I also discuss the role of cross-country diffusion, which can exacerbate populist pressures on liberal democracy. Moreover, inside countries with weak party systems, there can be a succession of populist leaders over time; but their limited political clout prevents them from doing grave damage to democracy. Furthermore, a comparative analysis of prominent Asian cases of populism demonstrates the broader applicability of my theory, but also uncovers some specific country and regional characteristics that affect populism’s effect on democracy in some cases. The book concludes with a restatement of the main argument, namely that populism’s threat to democracy -- while substantial -- is not as grave as many recent observers have feared.
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