Why Neo-Militant Democracies Endure

The Inner Six in Comparative Perspective
1. Auflage 2025
ISBN: 978-1-032-69078-0
Verlag: Taylor & Francis Ltd (Sales)

Buch, Englisch, 236 Seiten, Format (B × H): 156 mm x 234 mm, Gewicht: 340 g

Reihe: Democratization and Autocratization Studies

This book examines how contemporary militant democracies persist in the face of authoritarian abuses occurring during times of crisis. Focusing on founding members of the European Union, it explores how these democracies implemented anti-democratic measures without compromising their political rights and civil liberty ratings.

By expanding the conceptual framework and theory of neo- and quasi-militant democracies through case studies and comparative analysis, the volume offers new insights into factors contributing to democratic endurance. Respective authors shift scholarly attention toward the epistemic construction of anti-democratic restrictions, arguing that epistemic fairness in defining anti-democratic threats plays a crucial role in preventing the erosion of democracy and, in doing so, enriches our understanding of legal definitions of enemies of democracy and their impact on the stability of political regimes. Investigating restrictions that target old and contemporary threats enhances our understanding of how Inner Six democracies survive under attack from populists seeking to expand their ruling competencies after the 2008 economic crisis, the 2015 European refugee crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Russo-Ukrainian War.

This book is of key interest to scholars and students of European and Comparative Politics, Democratic Resilience and Backsliding, Legitimacy, Democracy and Dictatorship, Public Comparative Constitutional Law, Human Rights Law, Philosophy of Law, and Political Philosophy and Theory.

Zielgruppe

Postgraduate and Undergraduate Advanced

Autoren/Hrsg.

Rak, Joanna

Fachgebiete

• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politische Systeme Vergleichende Politikwissenschaft
• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politische Systeme Demokratie

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Part 1: Introduction  1. Methodological and Theoretical Assumptions for Studying the Endurance of Neo-militant Democracies  2. Central and Eastern Europe from the Great Recession to Warfare Times: Labile Endurance of Quasi- and Neo-militant Democracies  3. The Inner Six in a Historical Context: From Militant to Neo-militant Democracies  Part 2: Case Studies  4. Ignore Threats or Believe in the Inviolability of Rules? Restrictions of the Freedom of Association, Registration, and Functioning of Political Parties  5. Electoral Rights for All? Restrictions of Passive and Active Voting Rights  6. Dissent Within and Beyond the Boundaries of Legality: Restrictions of the Freedom of Assembly  7. Did Neo-Militant Democracy Deal with Changes in Media Systems Efficiently? Restrictions on Freedom of Speech and the Press  8. Religion as a Political Tool for Dividing Societies: Restrictions of the Freedom of Religion  9. LGBTQI+ Erasure or Progress in Protecting Human Rights? Restrictions of the Rights of LGBTQI+ People 10. Between Inclusive and Exclusive Policies: Restrictions of Naturalization and Migrants’ Rights  11. Facing New Threats: Restrictions on Terrorism and Hybrid Interference  12. Avenues for Studies on Pandemic-ridden and Warfare Times Neo-militant Democracies  Part 3: Conclusions  13. The Endurance of Neo-militant Democracies in Comparative Perspective

Über Autor(innen)

Joanna Rak is Associate Professor of Political Sciences at Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland.