Poland’s Solidarity movement of the 1980s may be the most famous example of labor as a force against authoritarianism, but it is far from the only one. Trade unions and worker-activists have — through strikes, bargaining, and solidarity with prodemocracy groups — played a crucial role in movements to hold leaders to account, push for policy changes, and expand civil and political rights.
Following is a small selection of essays that highlight the role of labor in the fight for democracy and good government across the globe — from Africa and the Americas to Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and beyond.
Democracy’s Surprising Resilience
Despite worry of an authoritarian resurgence, the vast majority of “third wave” democracies are enduring. Democracy, buoyed by economic growth and urbanization, is outperforming most people’s expectations or fears.
Steven Levitsky and Lucan A. WayThe Quiet Demise of Jordan’s Political Space
In the shadow of Gaza’s destruction, the Jordanian regime has quietly repressed one of the main sources of the country’s political activism.
Elizabeth Parker-MagyarWhy Syria’s Civil Society Is the Key
After the collapse of the Assad regime, Syria stands at a crossroads. Nothing is assured, but the country’s civil society is its best hope for charting a democratic future.
Rana B. Khoury and Wendy PearlmanThe Shadow of the Swedish Right
The rising, far-right Sweden Democrats keep doing better in Swedish elections. They are now the country’s second-largest party, and their influence on Swedish political life has never been greater.
Bo RothsteinAfrican Popular Protest and Political Change
There is a troubling tension around “people power” in Africa today: African social movements are among the most successful at ousting autocrats. But the continent’s entrenched antidemocratic institutions leave these victories highly vulnerable to reversal.
Zoe MarksBelarus Uprising: The Making of a Revolution
Well-organized demonstrations are rocking the 26-year-old dictatorship of President Alyaksandr Lukashenka. Inside the movement and why it rose when it did.
Sławomir SierakowskiHow Covid Changed Latin America
Covid-19 swept across Latin America with devastating effects. But it had unexpected positive consequences too, as citizens ousted inept politicians and pushed back against the inequities laid bare by the pandemic.
Oliver Kaplan, Michael Albertus, Diana Senior-Angulo, and Gustavo Flores-MacíasThe CCP After the Zero-Covid Fail
The regime’s ill-fated policy to eliminate covid from China spurred the largest protests in a generation. It also made Xi Jinping’s challenge of maintaining authoritarian control over Chinese society even harder.
Lynette H. OngMacron versus the Yellow Vests
The gilets jaunes movement erupted suddenly but has now apparently subsided without leaving a significant impact on electoral politics. Yet the tensions that gave rise to the working-class protests remain strong and are reshaping the political landscape of a divided France.
Patrick ChamorelCan Egypt’s Democratic Hopes Be Revived?
In 2011–13, the undemocratic political outlook of both secular and Islamist actors helped to ensure the failure of democracy in Egypt. Today, the populace appears to have backed away from democratic demands, yet pockets of resilient activism offer a basis for hope.
Amr Hamzawy
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