Religious Backgrounds of Illiberal Democracy in Central and Eastern Europe
In a few European countries, the idea of illiberal democracy is explicitly or at least implicitly outlined as a legitimate form of democratic governance, although it obviously threatens the rule of law in a democratic constitution at the same time. In this regard, political leaders use religion as a...
Main Author: | |
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Format: | Electronic Article |
Language: | English |
Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
Journals Online & Print: | |
Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
Published: |
WVU
2019
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In: |
Religion and society in Central and Eastern Europe
Year: 2019, Volume: 12, Issue: 1, Pages: 3-21 |
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Central Europe
/ Authoritarian state
/ Religion
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RelBib Classification: | AD Sociology of religion; religious policy CG Christianity and Politics KBK Europe (East) ZC Politics in general |
Further subjects: | B
Hungary
B Islam B democratic antinomies B illiberal democracy B Religion B Poland B Christianity B Slovakia B liberal-illiberal paradox |
Online Access: |
Volltext (kostenfrei) |
Summary: | In a few European countries, the idea of illiberal democracy is explicitly or at least implicitly outlined as a legitimate form of democratic governance, although it obviously threatens the rule of law in a democratic constitution at the same time. In this regard, political leaders use religion as a way to justify the aims of illiberal politics and, moreover, to provide a semblance of legitimacy to the idea and practice of illiberal democracy. To begin, this article locates the concept of illiberal democracy within the history of democratic theory and then clarifies why religion is basically predestined to serve as a vital source of illiberal programs and to give populist actors much more than an alibi for their implementation. Against this theoretical background, the empirical role religion plays in several contemporary Central and Eastern European democracies can be interpreted as both the result of religion’s Janus face concerning democracy and as a consequence of the liberal-illiberal paradox of democracy itself. |
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ISSN: | 1553-9962 |
Contains: | Enthalten in: Religion and society in Central and Eastern Europe
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