Understanding regime support in new democracies: does politics really matter more than economics?

It is essential that the new democracies of post-communist Central and Eastern Europe enjoy the full support of their citizenry. Among social scientists there is an ongoing debate about which conditions ensure mass support. Is political output, like individual freedom, or economic output, like citizens’ financial situation, a more potent force in generating approval for the newly established democratic institutions? In this paper we explore the question “what matters more: politics or economics?” by means of various survey data. A macro-analysis of many countries reveals that political support is correlated with democratic development, but also – and more strongly – with economic and social conditions. A micro-analysis of two countries reveals that while in East Germany the perception of guaranteed liberties contributes most to satisfaction with democracy, in Hungary the personal economic situation is most influential. The results do not confirm the view that politics are the most important factor for mass support in all post-communist counties. Furthermore we argue that it is fruitful to take into account other domains of regime performance like social security, social justice and protection.