The Uncommitted Citizens: Explaining lack of commitment to liberal democracy

Abstract

Why are some citizens uncommitted to Liberal Democracy? In this thesis, I attempt to explain this with the use of two main arguments. The first is that this democratic detachment is a consequence of deficient democratic knowledge. The second seeks to uncover a possible link between these citizens and the voters of populist radical right parties, thereby opening for the possibility that at least some of these voters are undemocratic. Through the use of statistical analyses, I find superior empirical support for the former, thereby indicating that this is the most important explanation of democratic detachment. I further find that these citizens are unlikely to vote, compared to the rest, substantiating the conclusion that they are indeed detached from the liberal democratic status quo present in Europe.