Why Do Some Democracies Collapse While Others Survive?

Imagine you are playing a board game with your friends. Everyone agrees on the rules. But what if one friend starts changing the rules in their favor? That is kind of what happens to democracies.

In a healthy democracy, power is shared like sharing toys. No single person gets to keep everything. There are checks and balances, which are like safety nets that stop anyone from getting too greedy.

Sometimes, leaders start breaking the rules slowly. They might ignore the courts or change how elections work just enough to stay in charge. This is called democratic backsliding. It does not happen overnight with a bang. It happens quietly over years as people get used to the new way.

Some countries have strong habits and independent judges who say no when the leader gets too pushy. Others have weak habits, so when a strong leader appears, everyone follows them even if they break the rules.