Family-transmitted historical trauma and political participation under democratic backsliding: evidence from Hungary

Although research on historical trauma and political behaviour has yielded conflicting findings, little is known about family-transmitted trauma under democratic backsliding. Drawing on a survey of 1,350 Hungarian adults, this study examines associations between types of family-transmitted trauma and political participation. The results suggest that only economic trauma is consistently associated with greater electoral and protest participation, while historical timing shows less consistent associations. Historical trauma appears neither inherently mobilising nor demobilising; its political relevance depends on the type of grievance transmitted. Under democratic backsliding, family memories of economic hardship may provide an important basis for demands for democratic change.