Stability of democracies: A complex systems perspective

K. Wiesner; A. Birdi; T. Eliassi-Rad; H. Farrell; D. Garcia; S. Lewandowsky; P. Palacios; D. Ross; D. Sornette; Karim P Y Thébault

doi:10.1088/1361-6404/aaeb4d

Stability of democracies: A complex systems perspective

K. Wiesner, A. Birdi, T. Eliassi-Rad, H. Farrell, D. Garcia, S. Lewandowsky, P. Palacios, D. Ross, D. Sornette, Karim P Y Thébault

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Abstract

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.

Original language	English
Article number	014002
Number of pages	18
Journal	European Journal of Physics
Volume	40
Issue number	1
Early online date	27 Nov 2018
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6404/aaeb4d
Publication status	Published - Jan 2019

Research Groups and Themes

Memory
Centre for Science and Philosophy
TeDCog

Keywords

complex systems
democracy
economics
social system modelling
sociophysics
stability
statistical mechanics

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10.1088/1361-6404/aaeb4d

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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, Karim P Y

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KW - economics

KW - social system modelling

KW - sociophysics

KW - stability

KW - statistical mechanics

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DO - 10.1088/1361-6404/aaeb4d

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ER -

Stability of democracies: A complex systems perspective

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