{"title":"The Problem with Authoritarian Populists","authors":"Patrick Francois, Chris Bidner","doi":"10.1177/23210222241237041","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"We assume that even though voters prefer the policies of their favoured leader they value democracy more greatly. This means that voters on both sides of a polarised policy divide would be willing to sacrifice their preferred policy if it would mean preserving democracy. However voters on one side are unsure whether voters on the other side share this commitment to democracy. We show that in such a situation an autocratic populist leader can act in ways that will undermine opposing voters beliefs that the leader’s supporters continue to value democracy. If these beliefs become pessimistic enough, a self-reinforcing cycle of mutual suspicion between voters on opposing sides leads to the inexorable demise of democracy and its replacement by autocratic rule. Understanding this, an elected leader who aspires to rule via non-democratic means may follow such autocratic populist policies in order to entrench their rule. JEL Classifications: D72, P16, P17, P48","PeriodicalId":37410,"journal":{"name":"Studies in Microeconomics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0000,"publicationDate":"2024-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Studies in Microeconomics","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1177/23210222241237041","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"Economics, Econometrics and Finance","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
We assume that even though voters prefer the policies of their favoured leader they value democracy more greatly. This means that voters on both sides of a polarised policy divide would be willing to sacrifice their preferred policy if it would mean preserving democracy. However voters on one side are unsure whether voters on the other side share this commitment to democracy. We show that in such a situation an autocratic populist leader can act in ways that will undermine opposing voters beliefs that the leader’s supporters continue to value democracy. If these beliefs become pessimistic enough, a self-reinforcing cycle of mutual suspicion between voters on opposing sides leads to the inexorable demise of democracy and its replacement by autocratic rule. Understanding this, an elected leader who aspires to rule via non-democratic means may follow such autocratic populist policies in order to entrench their rule. JEL Classifications: D72, P16, P17, P48
Studies in MicroeconomicsEconomics, Econometrics and Finance-Economics, Econometrics and Finance (all)
CiteScore
1.40
自引率
0.00%
发文量
14
期刊介绍：
Studies in Microeconomics seeks high quality theoretical as well as applied (or empirical) research in all areas of microeconomics (broadly defined to include other avenues of decision science such as psychology, political science and organizational behavior). In particular, we encourage submissions in new areas of Microeconomics such as in the fields of Experimental economics and Behavioral Economics. All manuscripts will be subjected to a peer-review process. The intended audience of the journal are professional economists and young researchers with an interest and expertise in microeconomics and above. In addition to full-length articles MIC is interested in publishing and promoting shorter refereed articles (letters and notes) that are pertinent to the specialist in the field of Microeconomics (broadly defined). MIC will periodically publish special issues with themes of particular interest, including articles solicited from leading scholars as well as authoritative survey articles and meta-analysis on the themed topic. We will also publish book reviews related to microeconomics, and MIC encourages publishing articles from policy practitioners dealing with microeconomic issues that have policy relevance under the section Policy Analysis and Debate.
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