For this reason, elected authoritarians who wish to consolidate control typically win not by flashy displays of might, but by convincing a critical mass of people that they’re just a normal politician — no threat to democracy at all.
That means the survival of democracy depends, to an extent not fully appreciated, on perceptions and narratives. In three recent countries where a democracy survived an incumbent government bent on destroying it — Brazil, South Korea, and Poland — the belief among elites, the public, and the opposition that democracy was at stake played a critical role in motivating pushback.
Agreed. The problem isn’t mass buy-in, it’s not “legitimate grievances,” it’s not communication: it’s groups with disproportionate power carrying out brainwashing.
Nothing will change unless the root causes are addressed: disable the puppeteers, take away their megaphones and cut them down to a size where they can no longer use their wealth and connections to subvert democracy.