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If democracy still reigns supreme in contemporary political discourse, why is it in crisis? Popular willingness to trade off democratic principles for instrumental gains offers a critical lens to examine this crisis. Data from the Global Barometer Surveys II and a U.S. national survey covering societies show that while Asian and North African respondents are most likely to trade democratic principles for instrumental gains, U.S. and Latin American respondents are least likely to do so, and sub-Saharan Africans fall in the middle. These results provide comfort that publics in many democracies prioritize democratic principles above all. But they also show that majorities in many authoritarian societies do not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By comparing results based on expert and popular surveys, this article finds that popular support for democracy was dwindling even in the decade before expert surveys (such as Freedom in the World and V-Dem) began to show the reality of democratic retreat. Decreasing support for democracy is tied to low satisfaction with how democracy works in practice, and it contributes to the rise of populist leaders who concentrate power in the executive branch. These phenomena reflect the waning capacity of the state to improve governance across all countries. As a result, democracy is likely to face another lackluster decade if both structural and institutional problems are left unsolved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports that China may be influenced by Taiwan's democracy. Taiwan's democratic transition illustrates a possible exit strategy that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could follow if it seeks to move away from one-party authoritarianism. Taiwanese political commentators, political comedians, and talkshow hosts have become household names in China. Some of Taiwan's best-known social critics have blogs that attract large numbers of Internet users from mainland China.Taiwan's mass media have been instrumental in spreading news about Taiwan's democratic experience, many Taiwan-based social actors have contributed to China's political liberalization with information, ideas, and practical knowledge.

Addresses the challenges facing Taiwan during its transition from parliamentary to semipresidential system. Accomplishments of democratization process; Characteristics of emerging political system; Opposition to democratization by the Kuomintang (KMT); Implications of money and mafia politics on legitimacy of new democracy.

Presents a spatial analysis of political competition in Taiwan in an effort to explore the role of conflict displacement in the process of democratic transition. Emergence of a new cleavage of socioeconomic justice in the country; Relations of socioeconomic justice with national identity.