http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/authors/5914/joshua-mm-portzer Inquiries Journal provides undergraduate and graduate students around the world a platform for the wide dissemination of academic work over a range of core disciplines. en-us Thu, 14 May 2026 22:31:35 -0400 Thu, 14 May 2026 22:31:35 -0400 http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1781/democratic-backsliding-in-the-us-and-why-the-rest-of-the-west-should-care By Joshua M.M. Portzer - ‘State fragility’ comes in many manifestations, ranging from violent civil conflict to state-sanctioned corruption. Often the term is paired exclusively with the developing world. This is a misnomer. Those within the liberal world order (LWO) are not immune to such societal ills.[1] Indeed, when a democratic State shows symptoms of fragility, it ought to give the West pause—a somber moment to reflect on their own democracies. The United States is providing the world with such a moment now. It is suffering from democratic backsliding.[2] This paper does four things. First, it... Fri, 28 Feb 2020 08:09 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1781/democratic-backsliding-in-the-us-and-why-the-rest-of-the-west-should-care