The Mob Came Wielding Pitchforks, but they had a Good Story to Tell

Abstract

Recent elections in Western democracies have brought into question the relationship between electoral mechanisms and democracy. I argue that while democratic impulses can be identified in political systems where elections either do not take place or are flawed, such impulses cannot be measured and are therefore destined to become the subject of ideological contestation. When election do seem to produce undemocratic results, as has arguably been the case in the United States over the past decade, democratic narratives or “stories” can prevent further deterioration in the quality of democracy.