Comparing Theories of Democratic Support: Lessons from Post-Communist Europe

This article sets out to evaluate the dominant approaches that are used to explain democratic support with a particular interest in what can be learned from the case of post-communist Europe. The main argument is that the case of post-communist Europe illustrates the weakness of the dominant sociological and instrumental approaches. In post-communist Europe democratic support does not depend on a familiarity with democratic institutions and norms, a belief in the democratic form of government, the avoidance of economic deprivation or satisfaction with government performance. Instead it is suggested that an alternative, more nuanced understanding of the dominant instrumental approaches is suited to the case of post-communist Europe.