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Resisting Democratic Backsliding: Malawi’s Experience in Comparative Perspective

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 December 2019

Peter VonDoepp Open the ORCID record for Peter VonDoepp [Opens in a new window]
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Abstract

Why does collective resistance to democratic backsliding emerge in some contexts and not others? The experience of Malawi in 2011–2012 offers an opportunity to explore this question. In the face of attacks on democratic rights and institutions, large-scale popular and civil society mobilization challenged the government’s authoritarian tendencies. Drawing on collective action theories and comparing Malawi’s experience to that of Zambia, VonDoepp argues that Malawi’s resistance arose in an environment that was favorable to its emergence. Economic conditions had generated grievances against government, polarization remained modest, and civil society organizations benefitted from credibility and the presence of allies that facilitated activism.

Résumé

Résumé

Pourquoi la résistance collective au recul démocratique émerge-t-elle dans certains contextes et pas dans d’autres ? L’expérience du Malawi en 2011-2012, offre l’occasion d’explorer cette question. Face aux attaques contre les institutions et les droits démocratiques, la mobilisation populaire et de société civile à grande échelle a mis au défi les tendances autoritaires du gouvernement. S’appuyant sur des théories d’action collective et comparant l’expérience du Malawi à celle de la Zambie, VonDoepp soutient que la résistance du Malawi a émergé d’un environnement qui lui était favorable. Les conditions économiques ont suscité des plaintes contre le gouvernement, la polarisation est restée faible et les organisations de société civile ont bénéficié de la crédibilité et de la présence d’alliés qui ont facilité l’activisme.

Resumo

Resumo

Por que motivo a resistência coletiva aos retrocessos democráticos emerge em determinados contextos e noutros não? A experiência do Malaui em 2011-2012 oferece uma oportunidade para analisar esta questão. Perante vários ataques desferidos contra instituições e direitos democráticos, emergiu uma mobilização popular e da sociedade civil em larga escala, desafiando as tendências autoritárias do governo. A partir das teorias da ação coletiva e analisando comparativamente as experiências do Malaui e da Zâmbia, VonDoepp defende que a resistência malauiana surgiu num contexto favorável à sua emergência. As condições económicas tinham gerado descontentamento em relação ao governo, a polarização política permanecia diminuta, ao mesmo tempo que as organizações da sociedade civil gozavam de credibilidade e da presença de aliados que fomentavam o ativismo.

Keywords

Malawidemocracybackslidingcivil societyprotestsdemonstrations
Type
Article
Information
African Studies Review , Volume 63 , Issue 4 , December 2020 , pp. 858 - 882
Copyright
© African Studies Association, 2019

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