The literature on regime type and economic crisis management generally finds that democracies are more resilient than autocracies in the face of economic shocks and crises. 

Regime Type and Economic Crises

Contrary to the literature on regime type and economic crisis management, the 2008 financial crisis generally demonstrated failures on the part of democracies to counter the Great Recession.

How Democracies Handled the Great Recession

Over the course of the economic crisis in Europe, support for democracy declined by 7% on average. Countries that were particularly hard-hit saw declines in support for democracy of up to 46%. By 2011, only 50% of Europeans reported being satisfied with the way democracy worked in their specific countries.


Decline in the Popularity of Democracy After 2008

The scholarly literature on autocratic regimes and their response to the Great Recession mostly focuses on China’s response to the crisis. 

How Autocracies Handled the Great Recession

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.

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 Great Recession and Democracy's Decline in Popularity

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.

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