Accelerating authoritarian dynamics: Assessment of democratic decline
3 days ago
- #U.S. politics
- #authoritarianism
- #democratic decline
- The assessment concludes with moderate to high confidence that the U.S. is on a trajectory toward competitive authoritarianism, where democratic institutions persist in form but are manipulated to entrench executive control.
- Five key trends driving democratic decline include executive overreach, erosion of judicial independence, legislative weakness, systemic electoral flaws, and undermining public trust in institutions.
- Executive overreach is marked by governance by decree, weaponization of state institutions, politicization of the civil service, and weakening oversight mechanisms.
- Judicial independence is under threat through partisan appointments, reliance on the Supreme Court's 'shadow docket,' and attacks on judicial legitimacy.
- Legislative weakness is highlighted by delegation of authority to the executive, partisan obstruction, and erosion of congressional oversight.
- Systemic electoral flaws include gerrymandering, voter suppression, intimidation of election officials, and efforts to contest certified results.
- Public trust in institutions is declining due to attacks on the press, academia, and watchdog institutions, alongside the promotion of conspiracy narratives.
- The assault on public knowledge and civil society includes constraints on academic freedom, politicization of science, and suppression of dissent.
- Democratic indices and expert surveys, such as Freedom House and V-Dem, corroborate the decline in democratic norms and the rise of authoritarian practices in the U.S.
- Public opinion shows a worrying openness to authoritarian governance, with significant portions of the population supporting strong leaders who bypass democratic processes.