A second condition that helps parties accept defeat is the belief that losing power will not bring catastrophe—that a change of government will not threaten the lives, livelihoods, or most cherished principles of the outgoing party and its constituents. Elections often feel like high-stakes battles, but if the stakes are too high, and losing parties fear they will lose everything, they will be reluctant to relinquish power. In other words, it is an outsized fear of losing that turns parties against democracy.
