The Erosion of Political Culture Threatens Democratic Stability

As a constitutional lawyer based in Britain with extensive experience observing democratic systems, I have become increasingly concerned about the growing threats facing many Western democracies.

Although these countries have not yet descended into the extremes seen in Venezuela, Peru, Hungary, Turkey, or Russia, those examples reveal how democracies can quietly deteriorate without dramatic upheaval. There may be no visible violence or overt power grabs, yet democratic values and practices are gradually stripped away, often with significant public acquiescence.

These nations retain elections, parliaments, and judicial systems—the basic institutional framework remains intact. However, they no longer function as true democracies because the underlying political culture that supports democratic governance has collapsed.

The United States now faces a similar risk. While its institutions continue to operate, tensions are rising and the degradation of political culture is evident and deeply troubling. Like other Western democracies, it is struggling under the burden of its citizens’ increasingly unrealistic expectations of government.

Democracy is fundamentally a constitutional system for collective self-rule, where decision-making authority is entrusted to representatives who are acceptable to the majority. This authority is defined, limited, and revocable—the essence of the institutional framework.

Yet a thriving democracy requires more than institutions; it depends on the attitudes and instincts of both politicians and citizens. It demands a willingness to accept compromises that accommodate the largest possible number of people. It relies on norms guiding how lawful authority is exercised to prevent arbitrary, vindictive, or oppressive actions. Crucially, it requires that political opponents be seen as fellow citizens with differing views—not adversaries to be destroyed.