Riders on the storm: the role of populism in the global crisis of democracy and in the functioning of electoral autocracies

Q2 Social Sciences
I. Benedek
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引用次数: 1

Abstract

Abstract It is my contention that populism could be an appropriate framework to describe, explain and connect the phenomena of global crisis of democracy and functioning of electoral autocracies. In order to substantiate this claim, with the method of literature review, I examine first the characteristics of these phenomena. Then I focus on the nature of the relationship between them, in particular on the complex system of new types of autocracies’ stability, in which populism could play a crucial role. Populism, understood as an autocratic (re-)interpretation of democracy and representation, could be a particularly dangerous Trojan Horse for democracy. First and foremost, because its idea of a single, homogeneous and authentic people that can be legitimately represented only by the populist leader is a moralised form of antipluralism which is contrary to the pluralist approach of democracy (i.e. polyarchy). For precisely this reason, populism could play a key role in autocracies, especial in electoral autocracies which may use its core elements. Namely, the Manichean worldview, the image of a homogeneous people, people-centrism and the autocratic notion of representation are very compatible with electoral autocracies, since these regimes hold general elections and their power is built largely upon the alleged will of the people. By using populism, it is possible for these regimes to camouflage and even legitimise their autocratic trends and exercise of power behind the formally multi-party but not fair elections and democratic façade. As a radical turn towards closed autocracies (without de facto multiparty elections) would be too expensive, electoral autocrats need manipulated multi-party elections and other plebiscite techniques that could serve as quasi-democratic legitimation. Because of this, they tend to use the political logic of populism which could transform political contestation to a life- and- death struggle and provides quasi-democratic legitimation and other important cognitive functions. Therefore, populist electoral autocracies, as a paradigmatic type of electoral autocracies, could remain with us for a long time, giving more and more tasks to researchers, especially in the Central and Eastern European region.
风暴中的骑手:民粹主义在全球民主危机和选举独裁运作中的作用
摘要我认为民粹主义可以成为描述、解释和联系全球民主危机现象和选举独裁运作的适当框架。为了证实这一说法,我首先用文献综述的方法考察了这些现象的特征。然后,我关注他们之间关系的性质,特别是新型专制国家稳定的复杂体系,民粹主义可能在其中发挥关键作用。民粹主义被理解为对民主和代表权的专制(重新)解释,可能是民主的一匹特别危险的特洛伊木马。首先也是最重要的一点,因为它认为只有民粹主义领导人才能合法代表单一、同质和真实的人民,这是一种道德化的反诱惑形式,与民主的多元方法(即多元政体)背道而驰。正是出于这个原因,民粹主义可以在专制政体中发挥关键作用,特别是在可能使用其核心元素的选举专制政体中。也就是说,摩尼教的世界观、同质人民的形象、人民中心主义和代表权的专制概念与选举独裁非常兼容,因为这些政权举行大选,他们的权力主要建立在所谓的人民意愿之上。通过使用民粹主义,这些政权有可能在正式的多党但不公平的选举和民主外表背后掩饰甚至合法化其独裁趋势和权力行使。由于彻底转向封闭独裁(没有事实上的多党选举)的代价太高,选举独裁者需要操纵多党选举和其他可以作为准民主合法化的公民投票技术。正因为如此,他们倾向于使用民粹主义的政治逻辑,这种逻辑可以将政治斗争转变为生死攸关的斗争,并提供准民主合法化和其他重要的认知功能。因此,民粹主义选举专制作为一种典型的选举专制,可以长期存在,给研究者,特别是中东欧地区的研究者带来越来越多的任务。
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来源期刊
Politics in Central Europe
Politics in Central Europe Social Sciences-Political Science and International Relations
CiteScore
1.20
自引率
0.00%
发文量
20
审稿时长
20 weeks
期刊介绍: POLITICS IN CENTRAL EUROPE – The Journal of the Central European Political Science Association is an independent and internationally peer-reviewed scientific journal in political science and international relations. The Journal was established in 2005 as the scientific review that publishes scientific essays, book reviews and information about conferences and other events connected with Central European issues. POLITICS IN CENTRAL EUROPE publishes politics, policy analysis, international relations and other sub-disciplines of political original, peer-reviewed manuscripts that provide scientific essays focusing on issues in comparative science, as well as original theoretical or conceptual analyses. All essays must contribute to a broad understanding of the region of Central Europe. Our goal is to give scholars from Central Europe and beyond the opportunity to present the results of their research.
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