RT Article
T1 Religious Backgrounds of Illiberal Democracy in Central and Eastern Europe
JF Religion and society in Central and Eastern Europe
VO 12
IS 1
SP 3
OP 21
A1 Hidalgo, Oliver 1971-
LA English
PB WVU
YR 2019
UL https://www.ixtheo.de/Record/1699797196
AB In a few European countries, the idea of illiberal democracy is explicitly or at least implicitly outlined as a legitimate form of democratic governance, although it obviously threatens the rule of law in a democratic constitution at the same time. In this regard, political leaders use religion as a way to justify the aims of illiberal politics and, moreover, to provide a semblance of legitimacy to the idea and practice of illiberal democracy. To begin, this article locates the concept of illiberal democracy within the history of democratic theory and then clarifies why religion is basically predestined to serve as a vital source of illiberal programs and to give  populist actors much more than an alibi for their implementation. Against this theoretical background, the empirical role religion plays in several contemporary Central and Eastern  European democracies can be interpreted as both the result of religion’s Janus face concerning democracy and as a consequence of the liberal-illiberal paradox of democracy itself.
K1 Christianity
K1 democratic antinomies
K1 Hungary
K1 illiberal democracy
K1 Islam
K1 liberal-illiberal paradox
K1 Religion
K1 Poland
K1 Slovakia