Returning Veterans’ Attitudes Toward Democracy

Evidence From a Survey of Ukraine’s ATO Veterans

Dados Bibliográficos

ID10071771
AutoresKonstantin Ash (0000-0001-9248-904X, University of Central Florida, autor correspondente), Miroslav Shapovalov (University of Central Florida)
Ano2024
Volume69
Fascículo5
Páginas763-792
Data de publicação2024-08-13
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoJournal of Conflict Resolution (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0022-0027 • E-ISSN: 1552-8766
EditoraSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/00220027241269980
OpenAlexW4401549026
IdiomaEN
Referências citadas46

How is service history associated with returning veterans' attitudes about democracy? Existing research predicts pro-government militia veterans have less support for democracy because of political efficacy gained from service and divergent policy preferences from the general population. We test that theory in Ukraine through surveys of both returning veterans and the general population between 2019 and 2022. Our findings differ from predictions. Veterans who joined the armed forces as volunteers were more supportive of democracy as an institution than ordinary Ukrainians. At the same time, Army volunteers, as well as veterans who were drafted into the armed forces and veterans who were rejected from the armed forces and joined pro-government militias were more likely to be dissatisfied with democracy. In-depth interviews reveal both those rejected from the armed forces and army conscripts opposed democracy because they felt rampant draft evasion made civilians unqualified to make political decisions

Democracy · Government (linguistics · Institution · Military personnel · Military service · Political science · Politics · Population · Service member · Sociology · Demography · Gender Politics and Representation · Gender, Security, and Conflict · Law · Medicine · Political Conflict and Governance · Psychology · Public Administration