Elite Buy-in Revisited: The Relevance of Ziblatt’s Thesis in an Era of Democratic Backsliding

Litong Wang, Emory University

This paper revisits Daniel Ziblatt’s theory of “elite buy-in” in light of contemporary democratic backsliding in Europe. In Conservative Parties and the Birth of Democracy, Ziblatt argues that the success of democratization in nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Europe depended largely on whether conservative elites accepted and institutionalized democratic competition through strong political parties. When traditional elites incorporated themselves into electoral politics, democracy stabilized. Where conservative parties remained weak and resistant, democratization followed a more unstable trajectory and ultimately collapsed. Ziblatt thus highlights the crucial role of conservative party organization in transforming former regime elites into guardians rather than opponents of democracy. However, recent European developments complicate this framework. Case studies of Hungary and Poland demonstrate how contemporary conservative elites actively drive democratic erosion despite possessing highly institutionalized party organizations. Parties such as Fidesz and Law and Justice have used their organizational strength to centralize power, weaken judicial independence, and undermine liberal norms. Conversely, Western European cases such as France and Germany reveal a different dynamic: mainstream conservative parties still function as partial gatekeepers against extremist forces but increasingly face pressure to adopt populist rhetoric or cooperate with far-right actors in order to maintain electoral competitiveness. These patterns suggest that conservative “buy-in” alone is no longer sufficient to safeguard liberal democracy. As elite commitment grows more fragile and populist pressures intensify, reliance on elite restraint becomes increasingly precarious. Instead, democratic resilience in the twenty-first century requires a broader form of societal normalization of democratic norms. This involves cross-sector coordination among political elites, technocratic institutions, civil society organizations, economic actors, and independent media to reinforce institutional guardrails and sustain public trust. Ultimately, the survival of liberal democracy today depends not only on conservative elites’ acceptance of democratic competition but on a multilayered commitment to democratic values that extends well beyond partisan calculations.

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 Presented in Session 145. Democratic Backsliding and Authoritarian Politics