Suppose, a country has democracy, i.e., people can properly vote and elect their leader.
However, because of some reason, like populism or inherent hate toward a minority group, the country consistently elects authoritarian leaders and hence the country morphed into a virtual fascist state.
I.e., the country is democratic by facade but fascist by behavior/action.
What would be the appropriate terminology for this country's situation?
Electoral Autocracy is the term used to define democracies that have become increasingly authoritarian.
Titled Democracy Report 2022: Autocratisation Changing Nature, the Swedish institute’s report notes that a new wave of democratisation is being seen in 15 countries while 32 countries reel under autocrasation. The countries are categorised based on V-Dem’s liberal democracy index (LDI), which captures both electoral and liberal aspects of democracy and goes from the lowest (0) to the highest (1) levels of democracy.
The report highlights that autocratisation has “worsened” in India along with Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Thailand and the Philippines in the Asia-Pacific region in the last decade.
“Anti-pluralist parties are driving the autocratisation in at least six of the top autocratizers: Brazil, Hungary, India, Poland, Serbia, and Turkey,” the report notes.
“Anti-pluralist parties and their leaders lack a commitment to the democratic process, disrespect fundamental minority rights, encourage demonization of political opponents, and accept political violence. These ruling parties tend to be nationalist-reactionary and have used government power to push forward autocratic agendas,” adds the report.
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The situation I described can be characterized as an "illiberal democracy" or a "hybrid regime." These terms are used to describe countries that possess certain democratic institutions, such as elections, but exhibit authoritarian tendencies or restrictions on civil liberties in practice.
In an illiberal democracy, the democratic processes may exist on the surface, but the government systematically undermines democratic principles and institutions, such as the rule of law, separation of powers, and protection of individual rights. This erosion of democratic norms often leads to the concentration of power in the hands of a single leader or ruling party, and the suppression of dissenting voices.
The term "hybrid regime" is another way to describe a country that combines elements of both democracy and authoritarianism. It acknowledges the presence of democratic features, but also recognizes the dominance of authoritarian practices and policies that undermine the true spirit of democracy.
In the specific case I mentioned, where a country consistently elects authoritarian leaders due to populism or hatred towards a minority group, one might also use the term "electoral authoritarianism." This term emphasizes the manipulation of democratic processes, such as elections, to maintain an authoritarian regime in power, often through the exploitation of populist sentiments or discriminatory ideologies.
Please note that the terminology used to describe political systems and situations can vary, and different scholars or analysts may use slightly different terms or classifications. Nonetheless, the terms "illiberal democracy," "hybrid regime," and "electoral authoritarianism" are commonly used to describe situations where democratic façades coexist with authoritarian practices.