How Democracies Die

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John Strafford addresses the Campaign for Conservative Democracy meeting held on 13th December

 "How Democracies Die"

by

Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt  

In their book "How Democracies Die" the authors say:

"Blatant dictatorship- in the form of fascism, communism, or military rule - has disappeared across much of the world.   Military coups and other violent seizures of power are rare.   Most countries hold regular elections.   Democracies still die, but by different means.   Since the Cold War, most democratic breakdowns have been caused not by generals and soldiers but by elected governments themselves.   Elected leaders have subverted democratic institutions in Georgia, Hungary, Nicaragua, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Sri Lanka and Turkey.   Democratic backsliding today begins at the ballot box."

At the meeting of the Campaign for Conservative Democracy held on December 13 2025 I put to the audience the four criteria set out by Levitsky and Ziblatt which they say are the warning signs that a country is moving towards dictatorship, and asked the audience whether they thought that the United Kingdom met this criteria?   The audience agreed that the United Kingdom met all the criteria.   What a worry!  The four warning signs are as follow:

1.    Rejection of (or weak commitment to) democratic rules of the game.

       Example; Do they suggest a need for antidemocratic measures, such as cancelling elections,                     violating or suspending the constitution, banning certain organisations or restricting basic civil or             political rights?

2.    Denial of the legitimacy of political opponents.

       Example: Do they baselessly suggest that their rivals are foreign agents, in that they are secretly             working in alliance with (or the employ of) a foreign government - usually an enemy one?

3.   Toleration or encouragement of violence.

      Example: Have they tacitly endorsed violence by their supporters by refusing to unambiguously                 condemn it and punish it?

4.   Readiness to curtail civil liberties of opponents, including media.

     Example: Have they supported laws or policies that restrict civil liberties, such as expanded libel or           defamation laws, or laws restricting protest, criticism of the government, or certain civic or                     political organisations?