Conclusion: The Lessons Learned and the Way Forward

This chapter highlights theoretical contributions of this book and offers suggestions to preserve democracy and prevent the rise of autocrats. The key contribution includes the identification of a specific pattern and sequence of democratic backsliding. Other contributions include the emphasis on an integrated approach and the insistence on non-institutional factors such as agent, audience, and ideology, that work in tandem with institutional manipulation to shape backsliding process. Finally, the authors call attention to consider early signs of backsliding and take preventive measures. An effective preventive mechanism includes citizens’ active participation along with international community’s support to prevent autocrats’ rise.