Allied‑deference syndrome

Democratic governments sometimes systematically self‑censor criticism of strategically important allied leaders to preserve pragmatic ties; this pattern produces a visible gap between private convictions and public speech that erodes domestic legitimacy and invites political backlash. Measuring the frequency and political cost of such deference offers a diagnostic for democratic resilience. — If leaders habitually prioritize alliance optics over public accountability, societies face growing legitimacy deficits that reshape domestic politics, constrain foreign‑policy debate, and increase polarization.