New research from the Chicago Center on Democracy demonstrates a direct link between high levels of income and wealth inequality and the increased risk of democratic backsliding. This finding highlights the vulnerability of democracies to autocratic tendencies in the face of significant economic disparity.
The article emphasizes the upcoming US elections, suggesting that the Democratic Party's strategy of focusing on either the economy or the future of democracy is a false dichotomy. The research indicates that tackling economic inequality is key to preventing a potential slide towards autocracy, particularly in preventing a second Trump presidency.
The authors argue that the best approach for Democrats to counter the threat to democracy is to campaign on creating a fairer economy. This directly addresses the root cause identified by their research: high levels of income inequality.