International Influences and Democratic Regression in Interwar Europe

Abstract

During the latest decades, scholars have increasingly paid attention to the so-called international dimension of democratization and autocratization. However, focus has predominantly been on the post-Cold War period, characterized by a pro-democratic environment. To fully understand the connection between international and domestic factors when accounting for changes in political regimes, we need to broaden the perspective and study other periods as well. The external environment in interwar Europe has been highlighted as one facilitating autocratic rule. But is it correct that the international order in interwar Europe became an obstacle to democratic stability, and if so, why and when did this change take place? In this paper we develop an integrative theoretical framework based on recent works on the international dimension of democratic development. We distinguish between cross-national inspiration with regard to values and experiences (demonstration effect) and actual or perceived external pressure from great powers (power politics). Both dimensions influence the incentives and capabilities of domestic actors but they do so via very different mechanisms, and their impacts are conditioned by the strength of domestic democratic forces. We use this framework to identify the most important shifts within the international environment in interwar Europe on both dimensions and provide a tentative appraisal of the relationship between the international influences and patterns of democratic regression. Our analysis of three cases – Poland, Austria, and Denmark – indicates that demonstration effects were more important for democratic stability than overt pressure from great powers. However, demonstration effects first became pervasive after 1933.