Anecdotal analysis of different countries’ responses to the COVID-19 pandemic has often pitted major autocracies like China against large democracies like the United States. This common media narrative typically notes how China has been more successful in curbing COVID-19, whereas the United States has struggled to mount an effective federal response to the pandemic. This comparison has led some academics to investigate whether autocracies (or dictatorships) are better at handling crises like COVID-19 than are democracies.

Regime Type and COVID-19 Response

If the narrative that democracies failed to effectively counter the pandemic persists, then autocrats could have a powerful tool at their disposal to convince even more voters to support them. Autocratic movements could strengthen or arise in countries hard-hit by the pandemic.

COVID-19 and Democracy’s Apparent Weaknesses: Implications

Despite inconclusive research and incomplete data, a narrative has arisen during the COVID-19 pandemic suggesting that autocracies like China are better at handling the pandemic than advanced Western democracies.

Wesleyan University

Voters living in democracies have become frustrated by the perceived inability of democracies—particularly advanced democracies—to cope with emergencies. Two major crises that democracies apparently struggled to cope with were/are the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Democracy’s Perceived Inadequacy: Emergency Response

The perception that autocracies handled the 2008 financial crisis better than democracies—or at least that democracies performed poorly—is largely reinforced by the scholarly literature. Consequently, citizens’ support of democracy has declined across the world, much to the benefit of autocratic political candidates.

Learn Before

Related

Learn After