Concerns about democracy's fragility in Western nations intensified after studies revealed a worrying susceptibility among citizens to authoritarian appeals. Using World Values Survey data from fourteen democracies and recent samples from Canada/U.S., researchers uncovered distinct ideological patterns regarding acceptance of authoritarian rule.

📍 Findings

• Cultural conservatives consistently displayed openness toward authoritarian governance, regardless of economic beliefs
• A "protection-based" package (conservative cultural views + left-leaning economic policies) emerged as the most popular combination among voters in half these democracies, including all English-speaking nations studied
• In other countries, protection-based and right-wing attitude packages showed equally high levels of authoritarian acceptance

🔍 What This Means

These results suggest potential for radical right populism while highlighting the possibility that undemocratic mass coalitions could split along economic lines. The findings offer a nuanced understanding of how ideological combinations influence political preferences regarding democratic governance.