Regional disparities, perceptions of deprivation, and democratic support

This article examines how objective and perceived regional deprivation shape citizens’ support for liberal democracy. Although macro‑level theories emphasize institutional performance and micro‑level explanations focus on individual resources and perceptions, the role of subnational contexts remains underexplored. Drawing on a geo‑coded survey of 9,000 German adults linked to county‑level socioeconomic indicators, this study integrates regional context to address the following question: How do objective regional deprivation and perceptions of deprivation combine to influence democratic support? Using multilevel mixed-effects models, the analysis first demonstrates that perceived regional deprivation and relative deprivation exert the strongest negative associations with support for democracy, whereas objective deprivation shows a small positive direct effect. Multilevel structural equation models reveal a significant indirect path: higher objective deprivation increases perceived regional disadvantage, which in turn reduces democratic support. In contrast, no comparable mediation appears via relative deprivation. Further mediation analyses identify four mechanisms—declines in democratic satisfaction, political efficacy, institutional trust, and generalized social trust—through which subjective deprivation erodes democratic commitment. These findings demonstrate that place‑based perceptions of neglect, rather than aggregate regional hardship alone, critically undermine democratic legitimacy. By embedding macro and micro determinants within a spatial framework, this research highlights the need for policies that address both structural inequalities and the narratives that shape citizens’ sense of regional inclusion. Policymakers aiming to bolster democratic resilience must therefore combine structural investment with efforts to counteract feelings of territorial neglect.