The residue of theocracy in contemporary democracies: A comparative study

The article re‐examines residues of theocracy in contemporary western and related democracies such as OECD countries. It outlines a model of theocracy composed of four elements. These elements are, first, extreme religiosity and religious fanaticism and closure; second, suppression of knowledge and scientific progress and perpetuation of anti‐science, irrationalism; third, a state‐favoured Church as the agent of political power, coercion, repression, war; and fourth, accumulation and redistribution of economic resources to support religion. The model is represented in the format of the functionalist AGIL scheme. Considering evidence, the model of theocracy is found to fit reasonably well for certain, primarily highly religious and conservative, countries. Conversely, it does not fit many other countries, especially less religious and more liberal societies. The article aims to contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between religion and politics in contemporary societies, and outlines directions for further research.