Generational Warfare and the Crisis of Democratic Legitimacy

• In Event: Electoral Legitimacy and Representation

Abstract

Disaffection, anger, and anti-establishment sentiment have become common themes in recent elections on both sides of the Atlantic. Questions arise though about who exactly is upset and why? Does such frustration with politics as usual represent a rejection of incumbents and ruling parties or democracy itself? It is well known that age affects political engagement; younger generations are less likely to vote than older cohorts. However, it is not at all clear whether younger citizens hold different opinions about democratic norms. Economic conditions might promote cynicism particularly among those who are entering the job force while those who are more secure may not be as cynical. Recent comparative research shows that it is the older generation that is often inclined to value democratic principles and practices more than the youth. However early analyses of Britain's referendum on leaving the European Union suggest that it is the older voters who were more willing to question the status quo and vote to leave. This raises an important question of what explains why the generation that is the least supportive of democratic system - the youth - is the least likely to make anti-system electoral choices. We investigate this puzzle by drawing on data from Module 4 (2011-16) of the Comparative Study of Electoral Systems (CSES) to examine these generational difference in advanced industrial democracies.

Authors

• Maarja Luhiste, Newcastle University

• Jeffrey A. Karp, University of Exeter

• Laura Sudulich, University of Kent