The new authoritarianism: the crisis or the end of liberal democracy?

Authors

  • Jerzy Vyatr European Higher School of Law and Management, 21/29 Grodzieńska Street, Warsaw 03-750, Poland; University of Warsaw, 26/28 Krakowskie Przedmieście Avenue, Warsaw 00-927, Poland

Keywords:

liberal democracy, new authoritarianism, crises of liberal democracy, rule of law, nationalism

Abstract

The article presents the author’s opinion about the crisis of liberal democracy and highlights the distinction between the current crisis of liberal democracy and its previous appearances. Author considers the formation of new authoritarian regimes and defines their characteristic features. In contrast to authoritarian regimes of the last century, the strength of authoritarian regimes of the new century is based not on the use of violence, but on maintaining the electoral support. The social sources of this support are not only economic, but also cultural, and are connected to the destruction of democratic institutions. Author concludes that reforms of the institutions of representative democracy and changes in social, economic and educational policies can reduce the threat of collapse of liberal democracy.

Author Biography

  • Jerzy Vyatr, European Higher School of Law and Management, 21/29 Grodzieńska Street, Warsaw 03-750, Poland; University of Warsaw, 26/28 Krakowskie Przedmieście Avenue, Warsaw 00-927, Poland

    doctor of sociology, full professor; honorary rector, European Higher School of Law and Management, and honorary professor, University of Warsaw

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Published

2019-10-01

Issue

No. 3 (2019): Journal of the Belarusian State University. Sociology

Section

Articles and Reports

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How to Cite

[1]
Vyatr, J. 2019. The new authoritarianism: the crisis or the end of liberal democracy?. Journal of the Belarusian State University. Sociology. 3 (Oct. 2019), 25–31.