Democracy's Ratchet Effect: Why the Left and Centre Must Unite Against Rising Authoritarianism

As emergencies mount and extremism feeds on paralysis, democratic forces need more than lowest-common-denominator coalitions to break the cycle of political decay.

https://www.socialeurope.eu/democracys-ratchet-effect-why-the-left-and-centre-must-unite-against-rising-authoritarianism



Consider our political systems not merely as battlegrounds of passions, ideologies and economic interests, but as systematically functioning arrangements of interactions, akin to game theory. In recent decades, we have witnessed the dissolution of large homogeneous groups into numerous subgroups—a patchwork of minorities. This fragmentation, compounded by individualisation and the resulting weakening of strong political bonds, has profound consequences for democratic governance.

In nations with majority voting systems, this process fragments the party system itself. As dissatisfaction with political parties grows—initially quietly but eventually becoming pronounced—new parties emerge, further splintering the political landscape. This increasing fragmentation complicates government formation and makes majorities more precarious. Often, only coalitions that can agree on the lowest common denominator are formed. Consequently, the outcomes of politics do not necessarily improve; in most cases, they worsen.

Decisive action, bold moves and clear leadership have become increasingly elusive. This reinforces dissatisfaction and the prevailing sentiment among voters that politicians are failing to achieve meaningful results. Doubts about the effectiveness of the political system become self-perpetuating, creating a situation where decisive politics is nearly impossible. The rise of populists and right-wing extremists is both a consequence of this stagnation and a further catalyst—a ratchet effect. Right-wing agitators stoke discontent, transforming it into anger and outrage while exploiting negative emotions.

As they gain strength, democratic politics becomes more paralysed, often preoccupied with defending against radicalism, preventing the worst outcomes, and forming coalitions whose members can agree on little more than a lacklustre commitment to “more of the same”. When social cohesion erodes, the radical right gains ground—which then leads to even more division. The perceived polarisation and alienation that accompanies the rise of right-wing extremism increases the perception of social disintegration and decay.

The authoritarian feedback loop................................

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