Missing the Dictator? The Effect of the Image of Authoritarian Past on Support for Democracy in Latin America

Iván Durán () and Francesc Trillas

Social Science Quarterly, 2020, vol. 101, issue 2, 604-622

Abstract: Objective This article examines to what extent the image that individuals have about past authoritarian regimes affects citizens’ support for contemporary democracies. Methods Drawing on the 2010 Latinobarómetro survey, we test whether the “deviation in evaluations” (i.e., the difference between the individuals’ evaluation of the present country economic situation and the individuals’ evaluation of the last authoritarian regime) affect support for democracy in Latin America. Results We found that as the assessment of the last authoritarian government outperforms that of the present country economy, individuals are less likely to support democracy, and this effect is stronger for old people. Conclusion This finding reveals important challenges for democratic consolidation: emerging democracies do not only have to display a good economic performance by themselves, but they also must prove to be better than previous authoritarian regimes.

Date: 2020
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