April 2002, Volume 13, Issue 2
Although Islamist terror groups invoke a host of religious references, the real source of their ideas is not the Koran but rather Leninism, fascism, and other strains of twentieth-century thought that exalt totalitarian violence.
January 2002, Volume 13, Issue 1
Must countries where authoritarian regimes have fallen therefore be “in transition” to democracy? Many democracy promoters seem to think so. Yet trends on the ground in country after country are raising doubts about whether it is true or useful to think of democracy’s prospects in this way.
July 1999, Volume 10, Issue 3
The recognition of democracy as a universally relevant system is a major revolution in thinking, and one of the main contributions of the twentieth century. While not yet universally practiced, democracy is now being taken as generally right.
October 1995, Volume 6, Issue 4
Review of Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela (1994).
January 2026, Volume 1, Issue 37
Young people from Peru to Madagascar to Nepal—furious with political elites reaping the spoils of privilege and corruption—are rising up to demand change. But what happens when their movements succeed?
January 2026, Volume 1, Issue 37
Brazil did something that few democracies achieve: It convicted a former president of attempting a coup. How did the country’s courts hold would-be autocrat Jair Bolsonaro accountable when so many other coup plotters go unpunished?
January 2026, Volume 1, Issue 37
A revolution in political participation is underway: Political players and advocacy groups are using AI to draft ballot initiatives, gather signatures, and persuade voters—undermining democratic legitimacy in the process.
January 2026, Volume 1, Issue 37
Elected leaders across the globe are intentionally undermining their governments’ ability to govern. How and why do these leaders seek to dismantle the states they lead?
January 2026, Volume 1, Issue 37
Ukraine must win its war against Russian aggression. But it is also true that the decisions it makes now will determine what kind of state it will be when the war is over.
January 2026, Volume 1, Issue 37
Narendra Modi and his ruling BJP have developed the textbook attack on India’s universities and centers of free thought. It offers a vital warning for other countries where higher education is in danger.
January 2026, Volume 1, Issue 37
The reelection of Uganda’s octogenarian president Yoweri Museveni may be a foregone conclusion, but the country is wracked with unease. His highly personalized regime is passing, and there is no clear view of what will follow.
January 2026, Volume 1, Issue 37
As Tanzania’s October 2025 sham election got underway, protests broke out across the country, sparking a brutal regime crackdown. That brief reign of terror marks a turning point for both the ruling party and the Tanzanian people. There is no going back.
January 2026, Volume 1, Issue 37
Moldova is poor, strategically located, and under intense pressure from Russia. But one of Europe’s smallest players has come up with a surprisingly effective recipe for holding Russian dominance at bay.
January 2026, Volume 1, Issue 37
Ecuador was already besieged by crime and violence. Now it faces a populist president whose “strong hand” policies show little success. They may do even more damage to the country’s democracy.
January 2026, Volume 1, Issue 37
Two decades ago, there was a wave of optimism about the rise of “Muslim democracy,” but these hopes have not been realized. What are the real barriers to progress?
January 2026, Volume 1, Issue 37
Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan are embattled democracies shaped by historic traumas and facing dire threats from powers that deny their right to exist. Can democracy endure in such conditions?
January 2026, Volume 1, Issue 37
Whether preying on people’s anxieties or playing the part of the progressive liberal, autocrats and would-be authoritarians see “gender” as a tool that can be adapted to whatever use best serves their interests.
January 2026, Volume 1, Issue 37
Authoritarians often abuse electoral systems and institutional power to thwart majority will. But the basic principles of democracy—political participation, fundamental rights, and the rule of law—can take shape in more than one way.
January 2026, Volume 1, Issue 37
While attending to the risk of majoritarian abuse, we must also guard against institutions that empower—and even entrench—authoritarian minorities.
This is the darkest moment for freedom in half a century. Whether democracy regains its footing will depend on how democratic leaders and citizens respond to emboldened authoritarians and the fissures within their own societies.
