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Satisfaction with Democracy: A Crisis in Western Democracies?

Pippa Norris (Harvard University)

Keywords: Political culture and participation

Abstract

Pippa Norris (Harvard/Sydney Universities) and Christian Welzel (Leuphana University)

A recent Journal of Democracy paper by Foa and Mounk attracted considerable attention by suggesting that there were signs of democratic deconsolidation in several Western nations. In particular, the authors suggest that there is a crisis in support for democracy as indicated by dissatisfaction with the performance of government, falling institutional trust, and growing endorsements of authoritarian sentiments. The crisis was claimed to be especially strong among Millennials.

This paper will challenge these claims by demonstrating that the authors have exaggerated trends in public opinion and misinterpreted the extent of any systematic cohort effects. Drawing upon the World Values Survey and the Euro-barometer, it will be shown that the Foa and Mounk paper was alarmist in its interpretation, and there is also no simple link between critical citizens and the rise of populism.