Civil servants' reactions to democratic decline reflect deep political divides
Monday, July 7, 2025 - 13:07
in Psychology & Sociology
A new study reveals that civil servants, like citizens, do not uniformly recognize and oppose political attacks on liberal democracy. How they view such attacks and respond depends heavily on their social and political affiliation. Civil servants who recognize politicians' actions as undermining democratic norms are more likely to withdraw—by resigning or reducing engagement—while others, aligned with the governing politicians, may see no problem, stay, and willingly cooperate.