Democracies should have an 'immune system' that automatically gives citizens extra rights if a leader starts acting like a dictator.
March 26, 2026
Original Paper
Resolving the Amendment Paradox: An Immune System for Democracy
SSRN · 6199558
The Takeaway
Rather than relying on judges or elections, this proposal uses independent metrics (like tax-to-GDP ratios or judicial independence scores) to trigger automatic constitutional changes. If a leader crosses a threshold toward authoritarianism, citizen powers like simplified recall or mandatory referenda would activate automatically to stabilize the system.
From the abstract
The paradox of self-amendment—can the rule that governs constitutional change itself be changed—exposes democracies to two distinct dangers: dictatorship by rulers who exploit amendment and emergency powers, and corruption by citizens who misuse rights and normalise impunity. Traditional safeguards such as eternity clauses, judicial review and militant democracy either ossify constitutions or remain vulnerable to manipulation and capture. This paper proposes a self-regulating constitutional immu