Weakening Democracy Linked to Rising Deaths, Study Finds

A new study by Syracuse University researchers suggests the issue has implications beyond politics. The study, led by sociology professor Jennifer Karas Montez, investigates the link between democratic erosion and rising deaths. Previous studies showed labor policies, firearm policies, and more played a role but did not provide a full explanation. The study examines how changes in electoral democracy in the U.S. predicted changes in the risk of death among adults ages 25-64. Montez says “Democratic erosion predicted significantly higher rates of deaths from drug poisoning and from infectious disease which can often result from intravenous drug use.” The study estimates that if a particular state were to strengthen electoral democracy from a moderate level to a very high level, men’s all-cause mortality would be more than 3% lower within the next year.