Journal of Democracy
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The Journal of Democracy: The smartest analysis on democracy and authoritarianism around the world. Reposts ≠ Endorsement. https://linkin.bio/jodemocracy
With illiberal forces ascendant across the globe, protecting individual liberties and the democratic process is crucial. But when institutions empower minority groups over the majority, can democracy survive?
When Should the Majority Rule? | Journal of Democracy
With illiberal forces ascendant across the globe, protecting individual liberties and the democratic process is crucial. But when institutions empower minority groups over the majority…
www.journalofdemocracy.org
November 10, 2025 at 7:36 PM
With illiberal forces ascendant across the globe, protecting individual liberties and the democratic process is crucial. But when institutions empower minority groups over the majority, can democracy survive?
Voters around the world are losing faith in democracy’s ability to deliver and increasingly turning toward more authoritarian alternatives. To restore citizens’ confidence, democracies must show they can make progress without sacrificing accountability.
Delivering for Democracy: Why Results Matter | Journal of Democracy
Voters around the world are losing faith in democracy’s ability to deliver and increasingly turning toward more authoritarian alternatives. To restore citizens’ confidence, democracies must show they…
www.journalofdemocracy.org
November 10, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Voters around the world are losing faith in democracy’s ability to deliver and increasingly turning toward more authoritarian alternatives. To restore citizens’ confidence, democracies must show they can make progress without sacrificing accountability.
Election observers are the first line of defense for democratic rights and freedoms, and they work in some of the most challenging places. They deserve the same protections as human-rights defenders.
Why Election Observers Are Human-Rights Defenders | Journal of Democracy
Election observers are the first line of defense for democratic rights and freedoms, and they work in some of the most challenging places. They deserve the same protections as human-rights defenders.
www.journalofdemocracy.org
November 10, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Election observers are the first line of defense for democratic rights and freedoms, and they work in some of the most challenging places. They deserve the same protections as human-rights defenders.
Delivery matters, but so do leaders’ actions. Why have so many, in both strong and weak economies, been pushing against democratic constraints on their power, and why have those constraints failed to contain them?
Beyond Performance: Why Leaders Still Matter | Journal of Democracy
Delivery matters, but so do leaders’ actions. Why have so many, in both strong and weak economies, been pushing against democratic constraints on their power, and why have those constraints failed to…
www.journalofdemocracy.org
November 10, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Delivery matters, but so do leaders’ actions. Why have so many, in both strong and weak economies, been pushing against democratic constraints on their power, and why have those constraints failed to contain them?
A year ago Nicolás Maduro stole Venezuela’s election and entrenched his power by jailing and killing those who opposed him. But the world’s democracies don’t need to sit on the sidelines. Here is how they can raise the costs for Maduro.
Venezuela’s Lost Year | Journal of Democracy
A year ago Nicolás Maduro stole Venezuela’s election and entrenched his power by jailing and killing those who opposed him. But the world’s democracies don’t need to sit on the sidelines.
www.journalofdemocracy.org
November 10, 2025 at 1:47 PM
A year ago Nicolás Maduro stole Venezuela’s election and entrenched his power by jailing and killing those who opposed him. But the world’s democracies don’t need to sit on the sidelines. Here is how they can raise the costs for Maduro.
We have long assumed democracy and liberalism went hand in hand. But in truth there have always been tensions between them, and the rise of illiberal democracy cannot be ignored.
Democracy Without Liberalism? | Journal of Democracy
We have long assumed democracy and liberalism went hand in hand. But in truth there have always been tensions between them, and the rise of illiberal democracy cannot be ignored.
www.journalofdemocracy.org
November 9, 2025 at 6:52 PM
We have long assumed democracy and liberalism went hand in hand. But in truth there have always been tensions between them, and the rise of illiberal democracy cannot be ignored.
Nicolás Maduro is a mafia boss, not a president, and the Venezuelan government is now a criminal enterprise with the power of a state. It poses a threat to democracies everywhere.
How Venezuela Became a Gangster State | Journal of Democracy
Nicolás Maduro is a mafia boss, not a president, and the Venezuelan government is now a criminal enterprise with the power of a state. It poses a threat to democracies everywhere.
www.journalofdemocracy.org
November 9, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Nicolás Maduro is a mafia boss, not a president, and the Venezuelan government is now a criminal enterprise with the power of a state. It poses a threat to democracies everywhere.
They have been smart, creative, leaderless, and transparent. And they aren’t targeting any one politician or party. They aim to change the entire system.
How Serbian Students Created the Largest Protest Movement in Decades | Journal of Democracy
They have been smart, creative, leaderless, and transparent. And they aren’t targeting any one politician or party. They aim to change the entire system.
www.journalofdemocracy.org
November 9, 2025 at 3:45 PM
They have been smart, creative, leaderless, and transparent. And they aren’t targeting any one politician or party. They aim to change the entire system.
President Hassan sought to strongarm the country’s election, meting out repression, violence, and arrests to anyone who dares challenge her. Tanzanians have seen enough.
Has Tanzania Reached Its Breaking Point? | Journal of Democracy
President Hassan promised Tanzanians freedom, transparency, and reform. Instead, she has delivered repression, violence, and arrests as she bars anyone who dares challenge her.
www.journalofdemocracy.org
November 8, 2025 at 6:09 PM
President Hassan sought to strongarm the country’s election, meting out repression, violence, and arrests to anyone who dares challenge her. Tanzanians have seen enough.
When Africa’s leaders act undemocratically, they face an unexpected opponent—the power of the pulpit. Within civil society, church leaders and their faithful have become leading defenders of liberal democracy.
muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/a...
muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/a...
November 8, 2025 at 4:30 PM
When Africa’s leaders act undemocratically, they face an unexpected opponent—the power of the pulpit. Within civil society, church leaders and their faithful have become leading defenders of liberal democracy.
muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/a...
muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/a...
The Cuban regime has created a narrative of victimhood as a smoke screen for its gross incompetence and corruption.
The Cuban Embargo Does Not Exist | Journal of Democracy
The Cuban regime has created a narrative of victimhood as a smoke screen for its gross incompetence and corruption. I should know. I once believed it, too.
www.journalofdemocracy.org
November 8, 2025 at 3:02 PM
The Cuban regime has created a narrative of victimhood as a smoke screen for its gross incompetence and corruption.
They have been smart, creative, leaderless, and transparent. And they aren’t targeting any one politician or party. They aim to change the entire system.
How Serbian Students Created the Largest Protest Movement in Decades | Journal of Democracy
They have been smart, creative, leaderless, and transparent. And they aren’t targeting any one politician or party. They aim to change the entire system.
www.journalofdemocracy.org
November 7, 2025 at 9:00 PM
They have been smart, creative, leaderless, and transparent. And they aren’t targeting any one politician or party. They aim to change the entire system.
The student movement that toppled Bangladesh’s longtime autocratic ruler wants more than a return to the old order. These young revolutionaries are seizing a chance to start anew. How and by whom will the country’s future be decided?
muse.jhu.edu/article...
muse.jhu.edu/article...
November 7, 2025 at 7:37 PM
The student movement that toppled Bangladesh’s longtime autocratic ruler wants more than a return to the old order. These young revolutionaries are seizing a chance to start anew. How and by whom will the country’s future be decided?
muse.jhu.edu/article...
muse.jhu.edu/article...
Can a strong, independent supreme court serve as a guarantor of democracy? In Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico, judges are showing a surprising resolve in fending off their countries’ antidemocratic forces.
muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/a...
muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/a...
November 7, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Can a strong, independent supreme court serve as a guarantor of democracy? In Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico, judges are showing a surprising resolve in fending off their countries’ antidemocratic forces.
muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/a...
muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/a...
After a turbulent election cycle, with an incumbent leader postponing the vote and putting his thumb on the scale, voters elected a new president and, for the third time in Senegalese history, a new ruling party. How did the country keep its democracy from crumbling?
muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/a...
muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/a...
November 7, 2025 at 4:44 PM
After a turbulent election cycle, with an incumbent leader postponing the vote and putting his thumb on the scale, voters elected a new president and, for the third time in Senegalese history, a new ruling party. How did the country keep its democracy from crumbling?
muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/a...
muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/a...
Democracy has proven surprisingly resilient in the twenty-first century. Read "Democracy's Surprising Resilience":
muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/a...
muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/a...
November 7, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Democracy has proven surprisingly resilient in the twenty-first century. Read "Democracy's Surprising Resilience":
muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/a...
muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/a...
"More than 85 percent of Republicans, 80 percent of Democrats, and 76 percent of Independents agree that 'elected officials very quickly lose touch with ordinary people.' The bipartisan nature of this perception indicates...[a] profound structural disconnect."
People Say Democracy Isn’t Working | Journal of Democracy
So, why don’t they want to fix it?
www.journalofdemocracy.org
November 6, 2025 at 9:06 PM
"More than 85 percent of Republicans, 80 percent of Democrats, and 76 percent of Independents agree that 'elected officials very quickly lose touch with ordinary people.' The bipartisan nature of this perception indicates...[a] profound structural disconnect."
Restoring liberalism after illiberalism is no easy task: Leaders face hard choices between acting quickly and effectively while maintaining a commitment to democratic procedure. Worse, their illiberal opponents stand to benefit either way.
Democracy After Illiberalism: A Warning from Poland | Journal of Democracy
Restoring liberalism after illiberalism is no easy task: Leaders face hard choices between acting quickly and effectively while maintaining a commitment to democratic procedure. Worse…
www.journalofdemocracy.org
November 6, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Restoring liberalism after illiberalism is no easy task: Leaders face hard choices between acting quickly and effectively while maintaining a commitment to democratic procedure. Worse, their illiberal opponents stand to benefit either way.
"Polarization over issues is so sharp, and rival policy agendas have so few areas of overlap, that each camp preaches largely to itself, reinforcing its current members’ demands and anxieties and making zero effort to appeal across the aisle."
Why Trouble Is Brewing in the Czech Republic | Journal of Democracy
It has long been a stalwart defender of democracy. But in this election season, the Czech Republic’s growing polarization is bringing illiberal political parties to the fore.
www.journalofdemocracy.org
November 6, 2025 at 6:18 PM
"Polarization over issues is so sharp, and rival policy agendas have so few areas of overlap, that each camp preaches largely to itself, reinforcing its current members’ demands and anxieties and making zero effort to appeal across the aisle."
Reposted by Journal of Democracy
This article was our most-read Hopkins Press journal article in October!
See the rest of last month's top 20 here: www.press.jhu.edu/newsroom/top...
See the rest of last month's top 20 here: www.press.jhu.edu/newsroom/top...
November 6, 2025 at 2:35 PM
This article was our most-read Hopkins Press journal article in October!
See the rest of last month's top 20 here: www.press.jhu.edu/newsroom/top...
See the rest of last month's top 20 here: www.press.jhu.edu/newsroom/top...
The world increasingly appears afflicted by “us-them” divides that breed anger, resentment, and violence. But across the globe small local groups are mounting a thoughtful resistance against polarization and hate.
How to Fight Polarization | Journal of Democracy
The world increasingly appears afflicted by “us-them” divides that breed anger, resentment, and violence. But across the globe small local groups are mounting a thoughtful resistance against…
www.journalofdemocracy.org
November 6, 2025 at 4:30 PM
The world increasingly appears afflicted by “us-them” divides that breed anger, resentment, and violence. But across the globe small local groups are mounting a thoughtful resistance against polarization and hate.
"The deadly cocktail of autocracy and power has consistently threatened American security — in World War I, World War II, the Cold War, and today," writes Michael McFaul in his new book, "Autocrats vs. Democrats: China, Russia, America, and the New Global Disorder."
Why Democracy Promotion Is as Vital as Ever | Journal of Democracy
America’s promotion of democracy has always been highly imperfect. But the superiority of democracy—and the ideas that animate it—make it essential to securing America’s future.
www.journalofdemocracy.org
November 6, 2025 at 3:28 PM
"The deadly cocktail of autocracy and power has consistently threatened American security — in World War I, World War II, the Cold War, and today," writes Michael McFaul in his new book, "Autocrats vs. Democrats: China, Russia, America, and the New Global Disorder."
María Corina Machado’s Nobel Peace Prize has made her the face of the struggle for democracy in Venezuela. But throughout the opposition, women are the backbone of the fight against Nicolás Maduro’s corrupt authoritarian regime.
Women Are Leading Venezuela’s Fight for Democracy | Journal of Democracy
María Corina Machado’s Nobel Peace Prize has made her the face of the struggle for democracy in Venezuela. But throughout the opposition, women are the backbone of the fight against Nicolás Maduro’s…
www.journalofdemocracy.org
November 5, 2025 at 9:52 PM
María Corina Machado’s Nobel Peace Prize has made her the face of the struggle for democracy in Venezuela. But throughout the opposition, women are the backbone of the fight against Nicolás Maduro’s corrupt authoritarian regime.
Today, governments can see who buys what, who pays whom, and who donates to which cause. But they cannot easily trace or confiscate Bitcoin. The digital currency offers a lifeline to democratic movements operating in the most repressive places.
Why Bitcoin Is Freedom Money | Journal of Democracy
Today, governments can see who buys what, who pays whom, and who donates to which cause. But they cannot easily trace or confiscate Bitcoin. The digital currency offers a lifeline to democratic…
www.journalofdemocracy.org
November 5, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Today, governments can see who buys what, who pays whom, and who donates to which cause. But they cannot easily trace or confiscate Bitcoin. The digital currency offers a lifeline to democratic movements operating in the most repressive places.
Capitalism is often blamed for democracy’s ills. But much of the blame is misplaced. It is not business capture of the state but rather state capture of business that poses the greatest danger to democracy.
Can Capitalism Save Democracy? | Journal of Democracy
Capitalism is often blamed for democracy’s ills. But much of the blame is misplaced. It is not business capture of the state but rather state capture of business that poses the greatest danger to…
www.journalofdemocracy.org
November 5, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Capitalism is often blamed for democracy’s ills. But much of the blame is misplaced. It is not business capture of the state but rather state capture of business that poses the greatest danger to democracy.