Input-Output Factors and its Effects on Support for and Satisfaction with Democracy

In recent times, citizen support for democracy and its liberal principles appears to have stagnated and is possibly in decline. This research sets out to investigate the causes of citizens’ support for and satisfaction with democracy. Drawing on the literature on democratic deficits and using data from the United States and Germany, two competing arguments are investigated. The first argument is that support for and satisfaction with democracy stem from feelings of being represented by the government - the input side of the political system. The opposing view is that support for and satisfaction with democracy stems from government performance - the output side. In general, the results reveal that both factors are important but are largely conditioned by the kind of electoral system being operated in the country