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A Democratic Emergency After a Health Emergency? Exposure to COVID‐19, Perceived Economic Threat and Support for Anti‐Democratic Political Systems

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  • Michele Roccato
  • Nicoletta Cavazza
  • Pasquale Colloca
  • Silvia Russo

Abstract

Objectives The urgency of the COVID‐19 pandemic has led governments to impose restrictions on individual freedom and required citizens to comply with these restrictions. In addition, lockdowns related to COVID‐19 have led to a significant economic crisis. We aimed to study how the pandemic and related economic threats have impacted support for anti‐democratic political systems. Method We analyzed data from a quota panel of the Italian adult population (N = 1,195), surveyed once before and once during the pandemic. Results A hierarchical regression model showed that exposure to COVID‐19 and perceived economic insecurity were associated with support for anti‐democratic political systems, independent of participants’ predispositions toward a strong leader. Conclusion An authoritarian personality is not a necessary precondition for individual anti‐democracy: when facing severe personal threats, anyone could restore a subjective sense of control over the social world by becoming anti‐democratic, independent of their initial predisposition to support anti‐democratic political systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Michele Roccato & Nicoletta Cavazza & Pasquale Colloca & Silvia Russo, 2020. "A Democratic Emergency After a Health Emergency? Exposure to COVID‐19, Perceived Economic Threat and Support for Anti‐Democratic Political Systems," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 101(6), pages 2193-2202, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:socsci:v:101:y:2020:i:6:p:2193-2202
    DOI: 10.1111/ssqu.12865
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Michele Roccato & Piergiorgio Corbetta & Nicoletta Cavazza & Pasquale Colloca, 2019. "Assessment of Citizens’ Populist Orientations: Development and Validation of the POPulist ORientation (POPOR) Scale," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 100(6), pages 2148-2167, October.
    2. Klingemann, Hans-Dieter, 2018. "The Impact of the Global Economic Crisis on Patterns of Support for Democracy in Germany," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 43(4), pages 203-234.
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    Cited by:

    1. Michele Roccato & Pasquale Colloca & Nicoletta Cavazza & Silvia Russo, 2021. "Coping with the COVID‐19 pandemic through institutional trust: Rally effects, compensatory control, and emotions," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 102(5), pages 2360-2367, September.
    2. Michele Roccato & Silvia Russo & Pasquale Colloca & Nicoletta Cavazza, 2021. "The Lasting Effects of the COVID‐19 Pandemic on Support for Anti‐Democratic Political Systems: A Six‐Month Longitudinal Study," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 102(5), pages 2285-2295, September.
    3. Erica Poma & Barbara Pistoresi, 2024. "Government Support Measures, Trust in Institutions and Effects on Satisfaction with Democracy During the COVID-19 Outbreak," Comparative Economic Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Association for Comparative Economic Studies, vol. 66(2), pages 355-387, June.

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