Falling Out of Love with Democracy: Evidence from Mauritius, South Africa and the United States

We typically expect democracies to deliver a measure of prosperity while also guaranteeing individual freedoms. However, many democratic societies across the world experience increasing economic inequality. Some democracies... [ view full abstract ]

We typically expect democracies to deliver a measure of prosperity while also guaranteeing individual freedoms. However, many democratic societies across the world experience increasing economic inequality. Some democracies are socially oriented and restrict freedoms to minimize inequality. Other democracies are liberally oriented and maximize freedom at the cost of equality. Thus, two fundamental values – freedom and equality – stand in competition. In recognizing this tension, this thesis will use individual data to assess popular perceptions of democracy in light of perceived inequality. The principal question the thesis addresses is: Why are not more people rising against democracy? Additional questions pursued include: Are individuals making connections between their economic realities and the political system in which they live? To what extent do economic realities shape the perceptions of government performance? Put differently, are people falling out of love with democracy? To answer my research question, I employ both quantitative and qualitative analysis. The cases included are Mauritius, South Africa, and the United States. In both South Africa and the United States, high levels of socio-economic inequality have informed political debate. Mauritius, labeled an economic miracle on the African continent, faces inequality despite being socially oriented. In comparing individual data across these three countries, this thesis explores in what ways differential distributions of prosperity across society affect popular perceptions of democracy, under what circumstances they translate into dissatisfaction with government performance, and at what point, if at all, they generate demands for political change.