Bates College Journal of Political Studies
Abstract
Utilizing a three-pronged analysis method, this article argues that not only is democratic backsliding – the degrading quality of democratic institutions in a state – on the rise but that it has frequent recurring themes. These themes are consolidation of executive authority, changes in court power and judicial independence, and election manipulation. Utilizing a combination of public opinion research and indexes such as Freedom House and the Global State of Democracy Index (GSDI), these themes emerge as patterns that are both understood and misconstrued by citizens in each country and of the world. The analysis is based on themes in the United States, Hungary, and Israel. Notably, the backsliding factors cataloged and analyzed in Israel focus on the judiciary reform passed by Benjamin Netanyahu and not how the war between Israel and Gaza has impacted democratic quality as neither Hungary nor the United States are actively engaged in a war of similar caliber. Focusing specifically on how these patterns emerge in the United States, Hungary, and Israel, this article seeks to affirm the signs and the ongoing reality of democratic backsliding in a post-Cold War environment.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Brouda, Leah
(2025)
"Recurring Patterns in Democratic Backsliding: The United States, Hungary, and Israel,"
Bates College Journal of Political Studies: Vol. 2:
Iss.
1, Article 6.
Available at:
https://scarab.bates.edu/bjps/vol2/iss1/6