Anomie and affective Polarization as a Threat to Democracy? An Analysis based on Data from ten European countries

In recent years, there has been growing concern about the stability of European democracies. The theory of anomie, developed by Émile Durkheim and Robert K. Merton, suggests that social disintegration and the loss of normative meaning can lead to declines in the social order. However, this potential factor in the destabilization of democracy has largely been studied theoretically. This study aims to investigate the relationship between anomie as well as affective polarization and democracy-endangering attitudes empirically, using original data from ten European countries. By examining levels of satisfaction with democracy, political trust, and the willingness to use violence to express political attitudes, the study seeks to understand how perceptions of an anomic state may foster anti-democratic attitudes. The research also looks at attitudes towards major crises, such as the Covid 19 pandemic, and their potential to contribute to social polarization and perceptions of division. By using original data from multiple countries, this study offers a unique and comprehensive look at the relationship between anomie, affective polarization and democracy in Europe.