Democratic Backsliding & Foreign Public Opinion: Implications for US Soft Power

• In Event: International Reputation Reimagined: Cooperation, Complexity, and Contestation

Abstract

Does democratic backsliding affect foreign public opinion? Specifically, how does information about the problems in American democracy influence U.S. soft power and perceived international status among the citizens of American partners? Furthermore, do foreign publics adjust their attitudes toward other Western democracies, like Germany and France, or geopolitical competitors, like China and Russia? Although the literature on democratic backsliding is rapidly growing, we have a limited understanding of its global ramifications. Based on a multinational survey experiment in nine U.S. partner countries, we show that democratic backsliding significantly decreases American soft power and public perceptions of its international status. Additionally, information about U.S. backsliding decreases global rivals' soft power but does not influence the soft power of other democracies nor the status of other democratic partners. We discuss the theoretical implications of such transnational influences on public opinion.

Authors

• Kelly Matush, Florida State University

• Yusaku Horiuchi, Dartmouth College

• Benjamin E. Goldsmith, Australian National University

• Kathleen E Powers, Dartmouth College