Promoting democracy online: Evidence from a 33-country experiment

Democracy promotion programs are vital for strengthening democracies, but key questions about their impact remain: (1) Can they be effective online? (2) Which pro-democracy arguments work best? (3) Do context or individual traits matter? This study explores these issues through online experiments in 33 countries with 40,000+ participants. Respondents watched one of four videos on civic rights, separation of powers, economic and social outcomes, or a placebo. Results showed increased democratic support, knowledge, and willingness to defend democracy against hypothetical anti-democratic candidates. Arguments based on intrinsic principles (civic rights and separation of powers) were most persuasive, with positive effects lasting up to ten days. Surprisingly, political and economic contexts and individual differences did not consistently influence outcomes. These findings highlight the universal benefits of online educational democracy promotion programs across diverse populations.