The process of democratisation is the most common from of regime change that has been experienced in the past few centuries, however, as can be seen within the current rise of the far right parties in Europe, especially in Hungary and Poland, democratic backsliding is also a real possibility for many democracies around the world. This comes as a result of certain political parties gaining power, most often by democratic means, this process can be explained through a demand and supply model. The demand side of the model explains that the citizens of a state desire change within government due to certain grievances, whether political, economical, or social, therefore creating a desire for change which gives other parties an opportunity to win over a large number of the population. The supply part of the model explains that the democratic institutions and processes allow for certain parties to gain power through democratic elections and voting. This model shows how the processes of democratic backsliding start to come about as the parties elected then have the power, should they wish, to corrupt and destabilize the institutions that allow for true elections to take place.
I wonder how this relates to the discussion we were having in class about the question of whether regime change comes about because of a popular desire for it? The rise of the far-right currently (and always) has been aided by an ability to latch onto and weaponise people's fears. Currently those fears seem to revolve heavily around immigration, the pandemic and its effects, and "woke culture". The people who vote for these parties often feel left behind by the evolving status quo and therefore are susceptible to populists who offer some sort of change - often appealing to nostalgia over the "good old days". So, these voters desire a change, but do they desire shift towards autocratic tendencies that the politicians they vote for seem to often toy with? How do these voters react to observations around the world of far-right leaders taking on autocratic tendencies? Do they not believe it, trust that it would not happen in their country, not care, or even maybe desire this?
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