Annual Regius Lecture

This roundtable brings together four scholars to debate whether democracy is in decline.

There is a widespread perception that democracy is in decline in the contemporary world. The previous optimism about the future prospects for democracy following the end of the Cold War and the third wave of democratisation has often been replaced by pessimism about growing authoritarianism, efforts to undermine democratic institutions, and a decline in commitments to democratic norms and values by leaders and the general public. Others contend that the negative trends are exaggerated, that democratic institutions often prove resilient to challenges, and that we see more widespread popular mobilisation either demanding democratic reform or defending democratic practices.

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