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

The Persistence of Economic Instability in Democracies

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

How Autocrats Use Economic Instability to Their Advantage

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.

Wesleyan University

Voters living in democracies—particularly young democracies—have become disappointed with their governments’ ability to govern, particularly when addressing corruption, unstable economies, racism, and other long-term issues.

Democracy’s Perceived Inadequacy: Long-Term Issues

Plattner, M. F. (2016). Is Democracy in Decline? Democracy & Society, 1(4), 1-7. 

Plattner (2016)

Several decades after transitioning to democracy, many countries have continually struggled with rampant corruption that their governments have been unable to fix. The persistence of corruption has spurred many citizens in these democracies to support radical parties in the hopes of reforming their governments.

How Corruption Enables the Rise of Autocrats

How Economic Instability Enables the Rise of Autocrats

Many democracies have seen a rise in racial tensions resulting from unresolved racial divides that have contributed to the rise of autocrats. 

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