Preferensdiversitet och stöd för ett demokratiskt politiskt system : ett omvänt U-format samband mellan diversitet i preferenser och stöd

Authors

• Ralf Lillbacka

Abstract

Theory: Previous research tends to imply linear relationships between the diversity of preferences among citizens and the support for a democratic political order. This study suggests that the relationship tends to be curvelinear. The extent to which the performance of institutions is congruent with the preferences of the citizens is presumed to affect support. A lack of congruence is implied at very low and very high levels of diversity, potentially causing support to be withheld. Hypothesis: The relationship between support for a democratic political system and diversity of preferences tends to be inversely U-shaped. Method: World Values Survey data from 1995–1997 are used to obtain aggregated estimates of support and diversity in 47 countries and regions. Linear and curvelinear regression models are used to test the alternative hypotheses. Results: Support is demonstrated for the hypothesis of an inversely U-shaped relationship; no support is demonstrated for alternative linear models.