Democratic Erosion University Course Student Blog

Students enrolled in our course are encouraged to write for the course blog, and to read and comment on posts from students at other participating universities. The blog offers students the opportunity to analyze current events through the lens of the theory and case studies they engage with through the course.

These blogs reflect the views of the student authors, and not those of the Democratic Erosion Consortium.

Peru’s Hollow Democracy: How Congress Captured the State

The political instability in Peru shows how a democracy can fall silently and without a coup. A Congress committed to safeguarding the constitution, but instead exposed its flaws when it unanimously ousted Dina Boluarte and installed José Jerí as the Constitutional President. Legislators have taken control of the state by using the legal system as a weapon, eroding public confidence and accountability. Peru is a prime example of democratic disintegration through institutional capture, with approval ratings in the single digits and emergency decrees in response to protests. Elections continue, but legitimacy has disappeared. This piece, which draws from O’Donnell, Svolik,

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Democratic Means to Undemocratic Ends – How Donald Trump is Weaponizing Democracy for His Own Gain

Modern autocratization is often marked by executive leaders weaponizing the legal system of the democratic country they were elected to lead. It allows for an easy way of legitimizing controversial political moves, giving them a legal veneer in order to conceal their...
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Shaking Up Democracy: Is Mexico’s 2024 Judicial Reform Democratic Backsliding?

Is Mexico’s 2024 Judicial Reform Democratic Backsliding?

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