Citizens' preferences for liberal democracy and its deformations: evidence from Germany. Issue 3 (27th August 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: König, Pascal D.
• Is Part Of: European political science review. Volume 14:Issue 3(2022)
• Page Start: 367
• Page End: 385
• Publication Date: 2022-08-27
• Subjects: conceptions of democracy -- citizens -- survey -- political attitudes -- political support -- Germany; Politics, Practical -- Europe -- Periodicals; European Union countries -- Politics and government -- Periodicals; 320.09405
• DOI: 10.1017/S1755773922000194
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1755-7739

Abstract

Abstract: This paper sheds light on the prevalence and the correlates of citizen support for liberal democracy and four of its deformations: a populist, a technocratic, a post-democratic, and a majoritarian-relativist conception of democracy. Using original survey data from a representative German online panel, the findings provide systematic evidence on the multifaceted nature of citizens' democratic preferences. Only few citizens are, for instance, populist without also being liberal democrats, and many endorse two or more deformations of liberal democracy simultaneously. Yet, these forms of overlap are not arbitrary but conform to conceptually posited relative affinities between these deformations. The examined conceptions of democracy furthermore differ in their associations with political support, ideology, education, and political interest. In addition to offering novel empirical insights, the findings also highlight why some measures may underestimate the complexity of democratic preferences.