A Narrow Wind: Corruption, Governance, and the Global Rise of the Authoritarian Right

Corruption, Governance, and the Global Rise of the Authoritarian Right

Abstract

The advancement of populist authoritarian tendencies in liberal democracies across the globe has been topic of concern in both academic and mainstream political thought. Several populist movements in the West have expressed a desire to stem corruption as part of their overall platform. Is the state’s ability to control corruption connected to a rise in authoritarian tendencies? Using a social trust theory lens on corruption, this paper examines the linkage between social trust, corruption, and rising tendencies toward populist authoritarianism. Using panel data from 32 countries over a period ranging from 1995 to 2014, statistical evidence is presented to show evidence of the link between social trust, the state’s ability to control corruption, and the rise in authoritarian tendencies. A state with a high level of governance and a falling level of control over corruption has a higher likelihood of experiencing a rise in authoritarian tendencies.