TY - JOUR
T1 - Stability of democracies
T2 - A complex systems perspective
AU - Wiesner, K.
AU - Birdi, A.
AU - Eliassi-Rad, T.
AU - Farrell, H.
AU - Garcia, D.
AU - Lewandowsky, S.
AU - Palacios, P.
AU - Ross, D.
AU - Sornette, D.
AU - Thébault, K.
PY - 2019/1
Y1 - 2019/1
N2 - The idea that democracy is under threat, after being largely dormant for at least 40 years, is looming increasingly large in public discourse. Complex systems theory offers a range of powerful new tools to analyse the stability of social institutions in general, and democracy in particular. What makes a democracy stable? And which processes potentially lead to instability of a democratic system? This paper offers a complex systems perspective on this question, informed by areas of the mathematical, natural, and social sciences. We explain the meaning of the term 'stability' in different disciplines and discuss how laws, rules, and regulations, but also norms, conventions, and expectations are decisive for the stability of a social institution such as democracy.
AB - The idea that democracy is under threat, after being largely dormant for at least 40 years, is looming increasingly large in public discourse. Complex systems theory offers a range of powerful new tools to analyse the stability of social institutions in general, and democracy in particular. What makes a democracy stable? And which processes potentially lead to instability of a democratic system? This paper offers a complex systems perspective on this question, informed by areas of the mathematical, natural, and social sciences. We explain the meaning of the term 'stability' in different disciplines and discuss how laws, rules, and regulations, but also norms, conventions, and expectations are decisive for the stability of a social institution such as democracy.
KW - complex systems
KW - democracy
KW - economics
KW - social system modelling
KW - sociophysics
KW - stability
KW - statistical mechanics
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85059115423&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1088/1361-6404/aaeb4d
DO - 10.1088/1361-6404/aaeb4d
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85059115423
VL - 40
JO - European Journal of Physics
JF - European Journal of Physics
SN - 0143-0807
IS - 1
M1 - 014002
ER -