Fear as a Form of Social Control and the Risks to Democracy

This article analyzes fear as a tool of social control, highlighting its implications for collective behavior and democratic stability. Through a critical reading of the works of Bauman (2008) and Levitsky and Ziblatt (2019), the study delves into the authors' research on how fear influences so...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Veloso Xavier, Kristianne, Alves Ferreira, Maria da Luz
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2025
País:Brasil
Institución:Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros (UNIMONTES)
Repositorio:Revista Alteridade (Online)
Idioma:portugués
OAI Identifier:oai:ojs2.periodicos.unimontes.br:article/8442
Acceso en línea:https://www.periodicos.unimontes.br/index.php/alteridade/article/view/8442
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Medo
Controle social
Democracia
Autoritarismo
Miedo
Control social
Autoristarismo
Fear
Social control
Democracy
Authoritarianism
Descripción
Sumario:This article analyzes fear as a tool of social control, highlighting its implications for collective behavior and democratic stability. Through a critical reading of the works of Bauman (2008) and Levitsky and Ziblatt (2019), the study delves into the authors' research on how fear influences social perception and fosters stereotypes that strengthen authoritarian regimes. It also reflects on the role of the Covid-19 pandemic in this process. The construction of the idea of the enemy and the spread of the "new global terror" are addressed, revealing the role of fear in legitimizing prejudices and the rise of autocratic governments. By exploring these phenomena, this work contributes to the understanding of the sociopolitical processes that lead to the erosion of contemporary democracies, offering a critical analysis in light of recent global trends of democratic regression.