The Transition to Illiberal Democracy Economic Drivers and Consequences

In an era where democratic principles face unprecedented challenges, this book sheds new light on the alarming trend for regime change towards autocracy. Drawing on recent political shifts in Hungary, Poland, Israel, and beyond, the contributions unravel the intricate web of judicial overhaul, identity politics, populism, and religious orthodoxy that underpins the erosion of democratic institutions. Through meticulous analysis, the authors unveil the insidious mechanisms employed by autocratic regimes to consolidate power and their consequences, from economic fault lines such as education gaps and identity politics, laying on religion and demography, to judicial overhaul, weakened growth, the emergence of de facto power, media manipulation, faltering foreign investment, and distortion of financial stability. Addressing inconvenient truths about the fragility of democratic systems in the face of relentless autocratic ambition, the book serves as a vital resource for understanding the perils posed by the fusion of identity politics, populism, and regime change. In a world teetering on the brink of democratic decline, the imperative to defend the fundamental principles of freedom and justice has never been more urgent.