PODCAST: How and Why Democracy is Backsliding Around the World – Buchanan and Manning

In this the seventh episode of A View from Afar podcast for 2023 political scientist Dr Paul Buchanan and Selwyn Manning examine the strengths and weaknesses of democracy around the world. In particular Paul and Selwyn consider how and why democracy in many countries around the world is on the slide. They examine the causes of democratic backsliding and also test why the erosion of high democratic ideas have, in many cases, popular support. First, Paul offers a context, and defines democratic backsliding. He identifies the countries that are decisively eroding their own democracies of principles that were once embraced by both power elites and citizenry. The Questions include: Why are we seeing more democratic backsliding in recent times? Is it just a political phenomenon or does it extend beyond the political sphere? Where has democratic backsliding been most evident? What do Chile, Guatemala, Israel and Thailand have in common when it comes to backsliding? What is occurring in the