Chávez used his economic populism and massive popularity to pass several anti-democratic reforms that undermined the opposition-led legislature. Following the Great Recession, Orbán capitalized off of a burgeoning hatred of the EU by passing laws that limited the creation of NGOs, especially if they were foreign-based. Similar to Chávez, Bolsonaro eliminated policy councils to cement his control over Brazilian politics.

Autocrats Using Economic Instability to Consolidate Power

Autocrats have pursued populist economic policies that mask their anti-democratic reforms.

Wesleyan University

Many democracies have had persistent problems with unstable economies and rampant inequality. The failure of democracies to address these issues has contributed to the rise of autocrats.

How Economic Instability Enables the Rise of Autocrats

Weyland, K. (2003). Economic voting reconsidered: Crisis and charisma in the election of Hugo Chávez. Comparative Political Studies, 36(7), 822-848. https://doi.org/10.1177/0010414003255106 

Weyland (2003)

Sata, R. & Karolewski I. P. (2020). Caesarean politics in Hungary and Poland. East European Politics, 36(2), 206-225. https://doi.org/10.1080/21599165.2019.1703694

Sata & Karolewski (2020)

Kyle, J. & Meyer, B. (2020, February 7). High Tide? Populism in Power, 1990-2020. Tony Blair Institute for Global Change. https://institute.global/policy/high-tide-populism-power-1990-2020

Kyle & Meyer (2020)

Economic instability has continually rocked countries in Latin America like Venezuela and Brazil. European countries in particular, like Hungary, struggled with the Great Recession.

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