Five Ways Illiberal Democracies Control Nonprofits: Lessons from Central Europe
Merrill Sovner, Board Chair of the Windham World Affairs Council, recently penned a short piece on the HistPhil blog about five ways in which populist and nationalist political leaders undermine the democratic role of nonprofit organizations. Based on research on the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Bulgaria, Merrill argues that political leaders use informal rules, practices, and norms to delegitimize and defund nonprofit organizations, especially in established democracies. Even when egregious laws are overturned by constitutional courts, these informal methods exert psychological pressure on nonprofit staff that distract them from their work to monitor government activities and foster civic participation.
Founded in 2015, HistPhil is a web publication on the history of the philanthropic and nonprofit sectors, with a particular emphasis on how history can shed light on contemporary philanthropic issues and practice.
