How Can Polarization Erode Democracy?

How can polarization erode democracy? Professor of Political Science and Afroamerican and African Studies Ann Pitcher answers this question with a case study of the 2019 Mozambique elections.

In her briefing, published in African Affairs, Pitcher argues that Mozambique's polarization has become more harmful since 2013. She cites a mix of economic factors that have increased political stakes and changes in the internal dynamics of political parties, making them more prone to undermining democracy through tactics like electoral malfeasance and political violence. This, she argues, is what played out in Mozambique's 2019 elections, where political violence was widespread, ranging from voter intimidation and attacks on polling sites to political assassinations.

Much evidence also suggests election malfeasance by the ruling party. Pitcher notes regular oversights like failure to stamp ballots and authorize thousands of election observers, along with conjuring of hundreds of thousands of “phantom voters” in districts the party expected to win. Her analysis of Mozambique provides a compelling illustration of how polarization can cause democratic deterioration when the electoral process becomes a battleground for polarized actors.

Pitcher has also appeared on the Into Africa podcast to talk about these elections, and has published writings about these elections in the Washington Post’s Monkey Cage. You can hear talk about more recent developments in Mozambique in her webinar.