14.12.2023
Support for Democracy is as High Among Millennials and Zoomers as Among Older Generations
Is support for the fundamental principles of democracy lower among younger generations? Previous research has found that support may be both lower and of equal significance among the younger generations. A new study conducted by Åbo Akademi University reveals that younger generations in Finland support the fundamental principles of democracy just as strongly as older generations.
The hypothesis that younger generations are less supportive of democratic principles is largely based on the fact that they have a lower voter turnout, a conclusion which has been criticised. In their study, Janette Huttunen and Inga Saikkonen come to the conclusion that there seems to be no systematic difference between the various generations’ support for the fundamental principles of democracy. When referring to the younger generations, the study focuses on the Millennials (1981-1996) and the part of Generation Z that came of age in 2020 (1997-2002). The older generations consist of the Baby Boomers (1950-1964) and Generation X (1965-1980).
Many previous studies that have examined democratic support share a common feature, that is, their use of traditional surveys. Janette Huttunen and Inga Saikkonen have based their study on a 2020 dataset in which participants were asked questions that indirectly assessed their support for some of the fundamental principles of democracy. Traditional surveys tend to suffer from social desirability bias, i.e., a tendency for people to respond according to societal expectations rather than to what they actually think themselves. Social desirability bias becomes less of a problem when questions are formulated in an indirect way.
The study “Are the Young Undemocratic? Evidence from a Conjoint Experiment” examined the participants’ attitudes towards hypothetical political candidates who either promoted or ignored violence against political opponents, as well as their attitudes towards the separation of powers and the independence of the judiciary. Huttunen and Saikkonen found that different generations seem to react differently to various types of democratic violations. The Baby Boomers seem to react more strongly than the other generations to instances of disrespect towards the separation of powers or the independence of the judiciary, while having a greater tolerance for politically motivated violence.
The article “Are the Young Undemocratic? Evidence from a Conjoint Experiment” (Journal of Representative Democracy) can be read in full here:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00344893.2023.2242386
More information:
Janette Huttunen, Project Researcher at the Social Science Research Institute.
janette.huttunen@abo.fi
+358 505128288