Human Rights and Resisting Autocratization in Polarized Societies

Polarized societies—where political, social, religious, or ethnic divides are profound—are particularly vulnerable to autocratization. Leaders may exploit divisions in such contexts to consolidate power, restrict freedoms, and weaken accountability mechanisms. The erosion of human rights is both a hallmark and a catalyst of autocratization: as fundamental freedoms are curtailed, it becomes harder for citizens to resist anti-democratic impulses. Nevertheless, even in deeply polarized environments, a combination of legal frameworks, civil society activism, international pressure, and strategic coalitions can help safeguard human rights and push back against the slide into autocracy.