Guided democracy

Guided democracy, also called managed democracy, is a formally democratic government that functions as a de facto authoritarian government or, in some cases, as an autocratic government. Such hybrid regimes are legitimized by elections, but do not change the state's policies, motives, and goals.

In a guided democracy, the government controls elections such that the people can exercise democratic rights without truly changing public policy. While they follow basic democratic principles, there can be major deviations towards authoritarianism. Under managed democracy, the state's continuous use of propaganda techniques prevents the electorate from having a significant impact on policy.

The concept is also related to semi-democracy, also known as anocracy.

Regimes

Poland under Sanacja

The Sanacja regime that governed interwar Poland from 1926 to 1939 is considered an example of guided democracy during its first phase from 1926 to 1930. The regime retained much of the structures and institutions of Polish parliamentary democracy, even though Józef Piłsudski exercised such large influence on the government that he "assumed some of the postures of a dictator". The opposition sat in the parliament and local governments, and political parties were allowed to function legally. Polish historian Andrzej Chojnowski notes that elections under Piłsudski's regime were still organised along the principles of parliamentary democracy, and the Sanacja regime was genuinely popular as the opposition parties were blamed for failing to prevent the Great Depression. While the actions of the opposition were hampered, repressions were rare and only two parties were banned: Camp of Great Poland and National Radical Camp.

Indonesia under Sukarno

After World War II, the term "guided democracy" was used in Indonesia for the approach to government under the Sukarno administration from 1959 to 1966.

Russia under Putin

The term "managed democracy" has been used to describe the political system of Russia under Vladimir Putin by former Putin advisor Gleb Pavlovsky, by media, and by Russian intellectual Marat Gelman.

Singapore under PAP

Singapore has been mentioned in the context of guided democracy. Proponents of this view point to the dominant position in parliament of the People's Action Party (PAP), which they argue limits effective political competition. Additionally, they raise concerns about restrictions on freedom of speech and assembly, which they see as hindering the ability of opposition voices to gain traction. However, supporters of the PAP counter that its sustained electoral success reflects broad public approval for its governance, emphasizing the party's focus on economic development, social stability, and national unity. They further argue that Singapore's specific circumstances, including its diverse ethnic makeup and historical vulnerability, necessitate a strong and stable government, which the PAP's model is said to provide. The debate surrounding Singapore's political system highlights the complexities of defining and evaluating "guided democracy" in the context of individual countries.

United States under lobbyism

In his book Democracy Incorporated, Sheldon Wolin contends that the United States has transformed into a managed democracy dominated by corporate power and the interests of the wealthy elite. Lobbying plays a central role in this system, as corporations and wealthy individuals use their financial resources to influence legislation and policy decisions in their favor.

Wolin highlights several key points about the influence of lobbying and the nature of the managed democracy:

• The influence of money in politics has dramatically increased, with corporations and wealthy individuals spending vast sums on lobbying and campaign contributions. This creates an uneven playing field, where the voices of ordinary citizens are dampened.
• The close relationship between corporations, lobbyists, and government officials creates a revolving door, which is characterized by individuals moving back and forth between the private and public sectors, often serving the interests of their former employers.
• The excessive influence of money has weakened democratic institutions, with some strategically placed politicians defending the interests of special groups over the interests of the broader public, ultimately undermining the core principles of democracy.

Wolin's concept of managed democracy describes a system that is hiding the rule of a powerful elite behind a democratic facade. This elite uses its influence and financial resources to shape public opinion and manipulate the political system to serve its own agenda.

In popular culture

In the video games Helldivers (and Helldivers 2), the playable faction, Super Earth, uses a system of managed democracy as its mode of government. Within the in-game universe, Super Earth ranks its citizens on a letter scale. During Super Earth elections, voting is handled through voting machines which select candidates for voters based on their answers to a questionnaire. The in-universe justification is that when voters directly participated in voting, they had a tendency to get confused and therefore not elect the "proper" candidates.

In the trailer for Helldivers 2, the announcing voice says "The Federation of Super Earth, keeping Managed Democracy safe, with the lives of our hero's. Protecting freedom from tyranny, with the gentle touch of an iron fist."

See also

• Conservative democracy
• Dictablanda
• Dominant-party system
• Enlightened absolutism
• Ethnic democracy
• Herrenvolk democracy
• Illiberal democracy
• Sovereign democracy
• Totalitarian democracy
• Types of democracy