Job insecurity, economic resources, and democratic backsliding: evidence from South Korea

This study explores demand-side stories of democratic backsliding among citizens. We argue that individual job insecurity is associated with higher levels of support for strong leaders who are not committed to being subject to legislative checks and balances. Furthermore, we contend that this relati...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inDemocratization Vol. 31; no. 6; pp. 1140 - 1159
Main Authors Eom, Jun Hui, Kwon, Hyeok Yong
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Abingdon Routledge 17.08.2024
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Subjects
Assets
Checks and balances
Citizens
Democratic backsliding
Economic resources
Job insecurity
Job security
Korean politics
Political leadership
Polls & surveys
Public opinion
the welfare state
unemployment
Welfare state
South Korea
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Summary:This study explores demand-side stories of democratic backsliding among citizens. We argue that individual job insecurity is associated with higher levels of support for strong leaders who are not committed to being subject to legislative checks and balances. Furthermore, we contend that this relationship is mitigated by higher asset levels and household income. In our analysis of Korea, we utilize data from the 2018 World Values Survey and the 2021 Korean General Social Survey. These results provide robust evidence for this hypothesis. Specifically, we find that assets as private alternatives to the welfare state moderate the effect of job insecurity on public support for undemocratic leaders. The findings from the Korean case have implications that can be generalized: enhancing job security and expanding public welfare provisions could bolster citizens' democratic attitudes and behaviours.
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ISSN:1351-0347
1743-890X
DOI:10.1080/13510347.2023.2287086