Pseudo-Particularism in practice: Authoritarian strategies to undermine civil society

Deák, Izabella (2025) Pseudo-Particularism in practice: Authoritarian strategies to undermine civil society. HUNGARIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL STUDIES, 66 (2). pp. 188-216. ISSN 2498-5473

Preview

Text 2052-article-p188.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (434kB) | Preview

Abstract

It is well known and thoroughly documented that democracy is in crisis worldwide, with the number of autocratic states and tendencies on the rise. Authoritarian regimes strive to dismantle the autonomy of CSOs that perform a social control function. This is most commonly achieved through legal restrictions that limit the establishment, operation, and activities of these organisations. This paper examines these methods of restriction with a focus on how countries exploit concepts like sovereignty, nationhood, and identity by invoking their unique cultural and traditional heritage. These tactics can be characterised as a form of pseudo-particularism. The restrictions that are applied follow the same patterns and are repeated in similar ways around the world. This particularistic approach is incompatible with universal constitutional principles because it fails to meet the minimum standards for the right to association. Both authoritarian and authoritarian-leaning countries employ such pseudo-particularistic strategies. Consequently, these types of restrictions can also be seen as indicators of the emergence of authoritarian systems.

Actions (login required)

Edit Item