Economic Reform and Democracy: The Politics of Safety Nets

Democracy requires robust political equality, but the persistence of social, economic and cultural inequality complicates its realization.

While analysts of populism have focused on economic woes and “cultural backlash,” a thirst for the restoration of order may better explain the appeal of authoritarian populists in fragile democracies…

In the two decades since the Tiananmen massacre, China has enjoyed rapid economic growth and a measure of political stability. Recently, however, various forms of popular protest have been increasing.…