Taiwan’s Risky No-Holds-Barred Politics

  • Raymond Kuo
The drama of the country’s divided government just played out in a failed, high-stakes vote to recall two-dozen opposition legislators. How both sides respond could determine the fate of Taiwan’s democracy.
July 2025, Volume 36, Issue 3

Can Capitalism Save Democracy?

  • Semuhi Sinanoglu
  • Lucan A. Way
  • Steven Levitsky
Capitalism is often blamed for democracy’s ills. But much of the blame is misplaced. It is not business capture of the state but rather state capture of business that poses the greatest danger to democracy.
July 2025, Volume 36, Issue 3

Democracy After Illiberalism: A Warning from Poland

  • Stanley Bill
  • Ben Stanley
Restoring liberalism after illiberalism is no easy task: Leaders face hard choices between acting quickly and effectively while maintaining a commitment to democratic procedure. Worse, their illiberal opponents stand to benefit either way.

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July 2025, Volume 36, Issue 3

The Islamic Republic’s War on Iranians

Iran’s theocracy has waged a brutal campaign against its own citizens for years. Now that the Woman, Life, Freedom movement has stripped the regime of any legitimacy, the mullahs have had no response but to sharpen their instruments of repression.

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July 2025, Volume 36, Issue 3

The Myth of Democratic Resilience

We must face an uncomfortable truth: Democracies often fail to reverse the damage after an authoritarian lapse, if they manage to recover at all. If we are to make our political systems more resilient, we must steel democracy against authoritarianism before it is too late.

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July 2025, Volume 36, Issue 3

How to Fight Turkey’s Authoritarian Turn

As President Erdoğan’s grip on power is slipping, his regime is turning more repressive. But Turkey may still avoid becoming a full-blown autocracy. The opposition is increasingly popular, and there remains a way to tilt the playing field to their advantage.

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July 2025, Volume 36, Issue 3

The Authoritarian Argument

Authoritarian regimes are not lawless. Rather, autocrats take to the courtroom not only to enforce their will but to justify their rule. So how do they appeal to reason? How do they rationalize their undemocratic turn?

Latest Online Exclusives

Venezuela’s Lost Year | Eric Farnsworth
A year ago Nicolás Maduro stole Venezuela’s election and entrenched his power by jailing and killing those who opposed him. But the world’s democracies don’t need to sit on the sidelines. Here is how they can raise the costs for Maduro.

Polishing Off Populism in Authoritarian Thailand | Dan Slater
Thailand’s current crisis may finally end the cycle of populism and polarization that has crippled its democratic aspirations. But it is also revealing that there are far worse forces undermining Thai democracy.

Why Kenya’s GEN Z Has Taken to the Streets | Judy Mbugua
The country’s young people are no longer willing to accept politics without accountability, and the government’s repressive crackdown is only fueling their movement. GEN Z is reshaping the future of Kenyan democracy.

News & Updates

Last Chance: Read the July Issue for Free!

July 2025

The latest issue of the Journal of Democracy answers some of today’s most pressing questions about democracy, and features essays on Iran, Turkey, Tanzania, the Philippines, and more. But it all goes behind a paywall after July 31. Don’t miss your chance to read the entire issue for free!



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The New Competitive Authoritarianism

In recent years competitive authoritarianism has emerged in some countries with relatively strong democratic traditions and institutions.

How Dictators Use Sports to Win Friends and Influence People

Authoritarians are developing new tools to project their malign influence across the globe. The world of sports can teach us a lot about the games they play.

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What Putin Fears Most

Forget his excuses. Russia’s autocrat doesn’t worry about NATO. What terrifies him is the prospect of a flourishing Ukrainian democracy.

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Misunderstanding Democratic Backsliding

If democracies did a better job “delivering” for their citizens, so the thinking goes, people would not be so ready to embrace antidemocratic alternatives. Not so. This conventional wisdom about democratic backsliding is seldom true and often not accurate at…

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How AI Threatens Democracy

Generative AI can flood the media, internet, and even personal correspondence, sowing confusion for voters and government officials alike. If we fail to act, mounting mistrust will polarize our societies and tear at our institutions.