The framework identifies leverage points where targeted interventions can stabilize democratic systems, preventing irreversible drift toward authoritarianism or social unrest.
4. Strategic Implications
TDD reinforces the idea that short-term transactional gains for politicians or voters have long-term systemic costs.
It provides a quantitative rationale for normative action, integrating predictive modeling with ethical considerations.
In essence, TDD serves as a decision-support tool for citizens, civil society, and policymakers, guiding actions that maintain democratic resilience in contexts vulnerable to transactional degradation.
The predictive and normative utility of TDD lies in its ability to foresee the consequences of micro-level behaviors, inform targeted policy interventions, and reinforce ethical political practice. For emerging democracies, where institutions are fragile and electoral transactions are frequent, TDD offers a robust framework to safeguard democratic stability, promote accountability, and cultivate informed, ethically engaged citizens.
VIII. Limitations and Future Research Directions
While the Transactional Degradation of Democracy (TDD) framework provides a comprehensive, multi-level model integrating psychology, sociology, and mathematical formalism, several limitations must be acknowledged, alongside avenues for future research.
1. Limitations
a. Data Constraints
The empirical calibration of parameters () relies primarily on survey data, field studies, and reports from Indonesia, which may not fully capture informal or unreported transactional interactions.
