Objectives. The urgency of the Covid-19 pandemic has led governments to impose restrictions on individual freedom and required citizens to comply with these restrictions. In addition, lockdowns related to Covid-19 have led to a significant economic crisis. We aimed to study how the pandemic and related economic threats have impacted support for anti-democratic political systems. Method. We analysed data from a quota panel of the Italian adult population (N = 1,195), surveyed once before and once during the pandemic. Results. A hierarchical regression model showed that exposure to Covid-19 and perceived economic insecurity were associated with support for anti-democratic political systems, independent of participants’ predispositions toward a strong leader. Conclusion. An authoritarian personality is not a necessary precondition for individual anti-democracy: when facing severe personal threats, anyone could restore a subjective sense of control over the social world by becoming anti-democratic, independently of their initial predisposition to support for anti-democratic political systems.

A democratic emergency after a health emergency? Exposure to COVID-19, perceived economic threat and support for anti-democratic political systems

Michele Roccato
First
;
Silvia Russo
Last
2020-01-01

Abstract

Objectives. The urgency of the Covid-19 pandemic has led governments to impose restrictions on individual freedom and required citizens to comply with these restrictions. In addition, lockdowns related to Covid-19 have led to a significant economic crisis. We aimed to study how the pandemic and related economic threats have impacted support for anti-democratic political systems. Method. We analysed data from a quota panel of the Italian adult population (N = 1,195), surveyed once before and once during the pandemic. Results. A hierarchical regression model showed that exposure to Covid-19 and perceived economic insecurity were associated with support for anti-democratic political systems, independent of participants’ predispositions toward a strong leader. Conclusion. An authoritarian personality is not a necessary precondition for individual anti-democracy: when facing severe personal threats, anyone could restore a subjective sense of control over the social world by becoming anti-democratic, independently of their initial predisposition to support for anti-democratic political systems.
2020
101
6
2193
2202
Support for anti-democratic political systems, Economic insecurity, COVID-19
Michele Roccato, Nicoletta Cavazza, Pasquale Colloca, Silvia Russo
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2318/1760585
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