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Cycles of Passivity: How Mainstreamers Unwittingly Enable Erosion of Democracy

In: The Palgrave Handbook of Emotions and Values in Organizational Institutionalism

Author

Listed:
  • Namrata Malhotra

    (Imperial College London)

  • Maxim Voronov

    (York University)

Abstract

In this chapter, we explore how the passivity of mainstreamers inadvertently contributes to the erosion of democratic institutions. While reactionary groups deploy emotionally charged rhetoric to mobilize support and challenge democratic norms, mainstreamers hesitate to engage emotionally, even as the ideals they uphold come under threat. We identify a self-reinforcing cycle of passivity—a vicious cycle of tolerance, denial, and adherence—which dampens emotional expressiveness among mainstreamers, allowing reactionaries to escalate their rhetoric in both intensity and vocabulary. This growing asymmetry in emotional engagement emboldens reactionary groups, accelerating the erosion of democratic ideals. By framing democracy as an ethos sustained through institutional practices, we argue that overt emotional expression is crucial for its defense. We emphasize the need for mainstreamers to recalibrate their emotional expressiveness, to counteract reactionary strategies, inspire solidarity, and re-engage public discourse.

Suggested Citation

  • Namrata Malhotra & Maxim Voronov, 2026. "Cycles of Passivity: How Mainstreamers Unwittingly Enable Erosion of Democracy," Springer Books, in: Gry Espedal & Trish Ruebottom & Marta Struminska-Kutra & Jose Bento da Silva & Douglas Creed (ed.), The Palgrave Handbook of Emotions and Values in Organizational Institutionalism, chapter 9, pages 247-267, Springer.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-3-032-12670-2_9
    DOI: 10.1007/978-3-032-12670-2_9
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