In my presentation, I intend to show causes and mechanisms of ‘illiberal democracy' in Poland. I will analyze them in comparison to other countries in Western and Middle East Europe. In doing so, I focus on such factors as populism, the economic crisis of 2008, outrage to neoliberal market and liberal elites, as well as lack of mainstream parties awareness regarding emotional needs of society. Among others, these are the most important factors which help us to understand ‘illiberal democracy’ phenomenon and nationalistic turn in Western Europe.
The EU is as well a part of the equation because its action strengthens the populist, nationalist and separatist tendencies (Brexit, Catalonia). However, in the context of Central and Eastern Europe, we must focus mostly on local context and try to answer whether a contemporary situation is a result of our communist past or post-communist period of transformation. For example, in a case of ‘illiberal democracy’ in Poland in order to better understand reasons why people support such conception we need to understand why there is common lack of trust to political class among citizens and be aware that there are a shared feelings of revenge on the elites after years of their neglection of economic, social and symbolic needs of majority.
Nevertheless, looking at the Western European situation the questions appear. Is ‘illiberal democracy’ a correct description of the contemporary political situation? And what kind of outcome is legitimized once we agreed to accept the existence democracy without liberalism? Thus, in my presentation, I am going not only to reconstruct and uncover causes of contemporary illiberal move in Poland (and broader in Europe) but also to normatively assess it and defend a claim that liberalism seems to be the necessary limitation that prevents democracy from turning into tyranny.
