Democratic Frustration: Concept, Dimensions and Behavioural Consequences
Using insights from the psychology literature, this article introduces and operationalises the concept of 'democratic frustration' to shed new light on the pathologies of democratic crises. While political scientists have devoted ample attention to democratic crises and dissatisfaction, th...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-02-01
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| Series: | Societies |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/10/1/19 |
| _version_ | 1819230230929211392 |
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| author | Sarah Harrison |
| author_facet | Sarah Harrison |
| author_sort | Sarah Harrison |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Using insights from the psychology literature, this article introduces and operationalises the concept of 'democratic frustration' to shed new light on the pathologies of democratic crises. While political scientists have devoted ample attention to democratic crises and dissatisfaction, this article suggests that citizens’ frequent references to their “frustration” should be taken more literally. Specifically, it suggests that citizens become frustrated when a perceived democratic delivery deficit interacts with a strong democratic expectation or desire. The article tests this model using two original surveys run in the UK during the 2017 General Election and 2019 European Parliament elections. By measuring expectations and delivery deficit separately, the article maps democratic frustration vis-à-vis alternative concepts such as apathy, criticality, and cynicism, and shows that it is more widespread as an expectation−deficit combination than any of them. It suggests that democratic frustration comprises of three dimensions: ideological, institutional and political. Adapting insights from the psychology of frustration that show it usually results in expressions of withdrawal, anger, or aggression, the article then explores how the three dimensions of frustration typically result in different pathologies. Ideological frustration leads to abstention (withdrawal), institutional frustration to peaceful demonstrations or radical vote (anger) and to envisage leaving one’s country, whilst political and institutional frustrations combine and lead citizens to consider taking part in violent demonstrations or even joining a revolution (aggression). |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-23T11:25:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8227c43e05594c2c93e4637e6c069993 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4698 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-23T11:25:46Z |
| publishDate | 2020-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Societies |
| spelling | doaj.art-8227c43e05594c2c93e4637e6c0699932022-12-21T17:48:56ZengMDPI AGSocieties2075-46982020-02-011011910.3390/soc10010019soc10010019Democratic Frustration: Concept, Dimensions and Behavioural ConsequencesSarah Harrison0Department of Government, London School of Economics and Political Science, London WC2A 2AE, UKUsing insights from the psychology literature, this article introduces and operationalises the concept of 'democratic frustration' to shed new light on the pathologies of democratic crises. While political scientists have devoted ample attention to democratic crises and dissatisfaction, this article suggests that citizens’ frequent references to their “frustration” should be taken more literally. Specifically, it suggests that citizens become frustrated when a perceived democratic delivery deficit interacts with a strong democratic expectation or desire. The article tests this model using two original surveys run in the UK during the 2017 General Election and 2019 European Parliament elections. By measuring expectations and delivery deficit separately, the article maps democratic frustration vis-à-vis alternative concepts such as apathy, criticality, and cynicism, and shows that it is more widespread as an expectation−deficit combination than any of them. It suggests that democratic frustration comprises of three dimensions: ideological, institutional and political. Adapting insights from the psychology of frustration that show it usually results in expressions of withdrawal, anger, or aggression, the article then explores how the three dimensions of frustration typically result in different pathologies. Ideological frustration leads to abstention (withdrawal), institutional frustration to peaceful demonstrations or radical vote (anger) and to envisage leaving one’s country, whilst political and institutional frustrations combine and lead citizens to consider taking part in violent demonstrations or even joining a revolution (aggression).https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/10/1/19electoral psychologydemocratic frustrationdemocratic crisiselectoral behaviour |
| spellingShingle | Sarah Harrison Democratic Frustration: Concept, Dimensions and Behavioural Consequences Societies electoral psychology democratic frustration democratic crisis electoral behaviour |
| title | Democratic Frustration: Concept, Dimensions and Behavioural Consequences |
| title_full | Democratic Frustration: Concept, Dimensions and Behavioural Consequences |
| title_fullStr | Democratic Frustration: Concept, Dimensions and Behavioural Consequences |
| title_full_unstemmed | Democratic Frustration: Concept, Dimensions and Behavioural Consequences |
| title_short | Democratic Frustration: Concept, Dimensions and Behavioural Consequences |
| title_sort | democratic frustration concept dimensions and behavioural consequences |
| topic | electoral psychology democratic frustration democratic crisis electoral behaviour |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/10/1/19 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sarahharrison democraticfrustrationconceptdimensionsandbehaviouralconsequences |