Human Minds Abhor Uncertainty: A Challenge for Liberal Democracy
Neurologically, the flexibility inherent in the future promised by liberal democracy can be difficult to process because it introduces uncertainty. However, solutions exist, argue Florence Gaub and Liya Yu.
The Neurological Dimension of Liberal Democracy
Traditional explanations of liberal democracy’s fluctuations often focus on economic factors, emotions, and education. Yet, neurology plays an equally important role. Liberal democracy uniquely challenges our brains compared to other political systems.
Certainty Under Dictatorships vs. Uncertainty in Democracies
Dictatorships provide certainty about the future — for example, Adolf Hitler's vision of a 1000-year Reich. In contrast, liberal democracy offers almost no guaranteed future except fixed election dates. It presents the future as an open space shaped by our choices. Politically, this is an achievement; cognitively, it can cause discomfort.
“The future was in the hands of a select few. Preservation, not progress, was the status quo.”
Before liberal democracy, the future was controlled by a limited group with a focus on preservation rather than development. Now, the ambiguity and openness of the future introduce a neurological challenge because human minds dislike uncertainty.
The Neurology of Uncertainty
Studies reveal that uncertainty causes a neurological tension state more unpleasant than the certainty of receiving an electric shock. Throughout history, people have sought ways to reduce this discomfort, using tools such as insurance and weather forecasts to make the unknown more manageable.
“Uncertainty is a neurological tension state more uncomfortable than the certainty of receiving an electric shock.”
Summary
Liberal democracy's openness creates neurological tension due to uncertainty, challenging human minds but also enabling political freedom and choice.