Blatant dictatorships - in the form of fascism, communism, or military rule - has disappeared across much of the world. Military coups and other violent seizures of power are rare. Most countries hold regular elections. Democracies still die, but by different means. Since the end of the Cold War, most democratic breakdowns have been caused not by generals and soldiers but by elected governments themselves. Like Chavez in Venezuela, elected leaders have subverted democratic institutions in Georgia, Hungary, Nicaragua, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Russia, Sri Lanka, Turkey, and Ukraine. Democratic backsliding today begins at the ballot box.
In recent years, overt forms of dictatorship like fascism and communism have largely faded, with military takeovers becoming uncommon. Most nations now conduct regular elections, although the threat to democracy persists. Instead of external forces, the decline of democratic systems is often initiated by the very elected officials entrusted with power, who undermine democratic principles from within.
This trend is evident in various countries where leaders, like Hugo Chavez in Venezuela, have manipulated democratic institutions for personal gain. Such actions represent a significant shift in how democracies can deteriorate, highlighting that the challenges to democratic governance frequently originate at the ballot box rather than through military coups.
