Antigovernment Protests and Commitment to Democratic Principles

ABSTRACT While antigovernment protests have been widespread across the world in recent years, it is still not well understood why people protest their governments. This study addresses this question and asks why some individuals participate in antigovernment protests, while others don’t. I argue that commitment to democratic values is essential to understanding participation in antigovernment protest: individuals who are committed to democratic values are more likely to participate in an antigovernment protest. With broader implications for political protests in political regimes other than consolidated democracies, this research explores recent widespread protests in Georgia and finds evidence consistent with its primary argument.