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  • Comparative Political Studies

Asymmetric Mass Mobilization and the Vincibility of Democracy in Hungary

By: Laura Jakli, Béla Greskovits and Jason Wittenberg
  • Format:Print
  • | Pages:36
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Abstract

Using an original dataset of partisan protest events in Hungary (n = 4836) spanning 1989 to 2011, we argue that left-liberal parties’ neglect in cultivating civil society during the post-communist period had deleterious downstream effects on Hungarian liberal democracy. First, it enabled the growth of an illiberal, right-wing civil society that facilitated Fidesz-KDNP’s 2010 landslide electoral victory. Second, it deprived the left-liberals of mobilization resources that could have been used to carry out contentious collective action to counter Fidesz-KDNP’s early maneuvers at democratic backsliding, in particular their constitutional overhaul. The data allow us to trace patterns in partisan protest over time and across cities, illustrating the dangers of asymmetric mass mobilization (AMM) during the prevention and containment periods.

Keywords

Voting; Political Elections; Civil Society or Community; Government Administration; Hungary

Citation

Jakli, Laura, Béla Greskovits, and Jason Wittenberg. "Asymmetric Mass Mobilization and the Vincibility of Democracy in Hungary." Comparative Political Studies (forthcoming). (Pre-published online January 10, 2025.)

About The Author

Laura V. Jakli

Business, Government and the International Economy
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