Political Socialization Scenarios Leading to Party Membership in an Autocratizing Democracy: Insights From an Interview-Based Study

Sebestyén, Annamária (2025) Political Socialization Scenarios Leading to Party Membership in an Autocratizing Democracy: Insights From an Interview-Based Study. POLITICAL STUDIES. pp. 1-25. ISSN 0032-3217 (In Press)

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Abstract

The study identifies the typical political socialization trajectories leading to political parties in Hungary through an analysis of life history interviews with 40 young party members. These trajectories develop within a context where the decline and aging of party membership are not accompanied by a resurgence of civil society but rather by its exclusion from political decision-making processes and ongoing democratic backsliding. The findings underscore the significant influence of historical, social, and political contexts on the socialization routes leading to party-political participation, resulting in a more varied, fragmented, complex, and conflictual process compared to Western Europe. Distinct socialization pathways entail specific conflicts, with the persuasive power of party communities playing a crucial role in overcoming these challenges. This persuasive influence functions as an essential compensatory mechanism, particularly in Hungary and, arguably, in other contexts where the broader socialization environment does not actively promote political participation.

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