Redistribute to Survive: How Failure to Address Inequality Leads to Democratic Backsliding

The main threat facing democracy today is the gradual erosion of institutions and norms know as democratic backsliding. This project is concerned with the link between democratic backsliding and state capacity.

The main argument is that when democracies  are unable to address issues such as high inequality they are more likely to suffer backsliding. The two-year project will be led by Per Andersson at Stockholm University.

A significant part of the project will be devoted to the collection of novel historical data on 1) states´ ability to redistribute and 2) democratic backsliding.

The data collection phase - in which Andersson will work with a research assistant - will be mostly finished by the end of year 1.

Apart from data collection, the first year will be dedicated to a theoretical paper which will form the foundation of the project.

During the second half of the first year Andersson will begin a comparative historical analysis of a smaller number of cases in order to study the causal mechanism.

Thus, the project combines quantitative analysis of original historical data with in-depth qualitative case studies evaluating causal mechanisms.

The findings will have direct relevance for contemporary challenges to democracy, as evidenced by the recent experience of e.g., Turkey and Hungary.

In order to properly diagnose the problems of backsliding, and to identify potential solutions, it is crucial to understand how similar challenges were overcome historically.