European Citizens’ Conceptions of Democracy: The Explanatory Power of Non-Democratic Political Socialization

Does a country’s authoritarian past influence what citizens expect from democracy? Research shows that citizens who were socialized in a non-democratic political system are less likely to be supportive of democracy than citizens socialized in a liberal democracy. In fact, citizens also internalize the characteristics of the political system they grow up in as their democratic ideal. For Germany, it has been shown that political socialization in the socialist system of the German Democratic Republic leads not only to a more socialist, but also a more populist conception of democracy among citizens. Against the background of the success of populist radical right parties across Europe in recent national and European elections, it remains questionable to what extent non-democratic experiences shape citizens’ ideas of what democracy is and should be - beyond the German case and mere support for democracy. How does a country’s authoritarian past influence what conceptions of democracy people hold? Specifically, does political socialization in an authoritarian regime lead to more populist attitudes and less commitment to liberal values? Using data from Round 10 of the European Social Survey, this paper analyses differences in conceptions of democracy for people socialized in countries of Western Europe, Southern Europe, and Eastern Europe that experienced democratization at different points in time. The results suggest that political socialization in a non-democratic system indeed leads to higher support for a populist conception of democracy, but there are differences depending on the type of authoritarian regime.