For this reason, elected authoritarians who wish to consolidate control typically win not by flashy displays of might, but by convincing a critical mass of people that they’re just a normal politician — no threat to democracy at all.
That means the survival of democracy depends, to an extent not fully appreciated, on perceptions and narratives. In three recent countries where a democracy survived an incumbent government bent on destroying it — Brazil, South Korea, and Poland — the belief among elites, the public, and the opposition that democracy was at stake played a critical role in motivating pushback.
Ive observed the Polish “fight for democracy” in recent years up close and I call bullshit. I’ve worked as a tech for a key “democratic” NGO behind some of the biggest protests, and Ive been on the frontlines providing security to the Womens Strike as it was asoulted by pigs and fascist militia. Most people, particilarly here, dont care about abstract ideas. They care when they feel their freedom, their money, their chance are being taken away.
We had prodemocratic marches of liberal parties mobilising mostly middle class for years and it changed nothing. Crossing the line on abortion laws did that, as it affected the working class.
digression
Personally I belive people love talking about ideals, but they are either in the ideological fanbase/larping niche, or they can afford considerations higher then securing their roof and food for the next month or they use it as a cover for what they belive will benefit or injure them personally. Most fascist supporters will claim they actually only support the “economic program” of the far right, most wont be able to give any specyfics of it. Most people calling themselves left are not even members of a trade union. However we fancy ourselves deep in our brains we are still tribalistic agresive apes fighting for resources, and trying to use as little energy for that as possible. But we love to make up justifications for it.
Every major opposition strike in “communist” Poland happened after the prices of meat went up.
Dont get me wrong; people fight for the cause, commit their life to it. This is necessary for any change to the better to be possible. Organizing is key. Mobilising the actual working class is key. No one cares if the middle class is unhappy when the power is solidified. And trumpists will have much more votes than anyone expects again, if they manage to dissapear enough people for the system for wages in some low income sectors to go up. Or even just give the people a sense of pride or a new shared enemy.
Womans Strike was a failiare in many ways, but it did mobilise enough people to vote to bring back any actual left into the parlament and slightly grow liberals margins. Barely enough to take over the parliemnt, after which conservatives won the presidential elections. This american style conservative-liberal duopoly has been going strong for the last 20 years. We might slide down hardcore right wing, we might stay at benovelent neocon liberals, or we get a friendly visit for an old occupier, you never know.
Ill spellcheck this in the morning.