The Source of Georgia's Democratic Resilience

Abstract: After years of democratic backsliding, Georgia experienced a dramatic shift toward autocratization in 2024, with the Georgian Dream government passing restrictive laws and manipulating parliamentary elections. However, Georgian society's response has grown more determined and inclusive, demonstrating a pattern of cyclical resilience where autocratization and democratic resistance unfold in parallel. While this pushback has not yet sparked a democratic turnaround, it has ensured fierce contestation of autocratic moves. The case of Georgia illuminates how pluralistic values and civic mobilization can serve as primary sources of resilience, even when formal institutional safeguards falter. Georgia's experience shows that democratic culture can deepen even as autocratization advances.