Illiberal Administrative Behaviour: exploring the implementation of illiberal policies and strategies for prevention

Democracy is at risk, also from the inside.

Today, some civil servants are mandated to implement illiberal policies, defined as those including anti-plural (discouraging dissent and promoting homogeneity) or anti-institutional values (rejecting separation or supervision of power). Civil servants who oppose these policies face severe criticism and replacement.

Conversely, others may behave illiberally and comply with the implementation request.

Since public bureaucracy is essential for effective governance, the question of whether civil servants will implement illiberal policies, thereby displaying illiberal administrative behaviour, arises.

Yet, it is surprising how little we know about this behaviour, why it occurs, and how it can be prevented.To investigate these questions this project: (1) defines and elaborates a conceptual map of illiberal administrative behaviour, and empirically examines civil servants’ positions on it; (2) identifies the determinants of illiberal administrative behaviour; (3) examines how civil servants can align with liberal democratic values to reduce their likelihood of implementing illiberal policies.

The empirical analysis focuses on 10 countries from 5 administrative traditions and implements an integrative multi-method approach combining panel surveys with different measurement strategies and experiments.The project breaks new ground in the study of illiberalism in public administration and offers fresh insights on the current crisis of liberal democracy.

Theoretically, it conceptualizes illiberal administrative behaviour, elucidating the conceptual underpinnings of this phenomenon.

Empirically, it develops measurement tools for assessing illiberal administrative behaviour among civil servants, examines its primary determinants, and explores innovative mechanisms to counteract these processes. These contributions are developed by adopting an innovative interdisciplinary strategy.