Democracy in Retrograde pdf download

The Man Who Would Oust a Dynasty

• Marlon Ariyasinghe

A few years ago Anura Kumara Dissanayake led a struggling political party with bleak prospects. Now he is Sri Lanka’s newly elected president. The hardest work may still lie ahead.

Maduro Rules Through Repression

• William J. Dobson

The strongman lost in a landslide, and the Venezuelan people are paying the price.

Bolivia’s Silent Destruction

• Jhanisse Vaca Daza

Bolivia’s Amazon forests are becoming scorched earth, with millions of acres lost each year to raging fires. Worse, this disaster is being caused by a government more interested in corrupt profits than protecting its people and wildlife.

Why Women Are Leading the Fight in Iran

• Ladan Boroumand

Iran’s women were the Islamic Republic’s first target for repression. This is the newest chapter in their struggle to win back their rights.

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Why Does the Kremlin Bother Holding Sham Elections?

• Margarita Zavadskaya

Everyone knows that Russia’s election is a fraud. The problem is no dictator ever feels safe enough, and Putin thinks even a fake election will signal to his cronies that he’s still in charge.

Cracks in Sisi’s Façade

• Waleed Shawky

Egypt’s upcoming presidential elections are a sham. But the opposition can still take advantage of this moment to push for genuine reforms that the country desperately needs.

Kenya’s Shaky Handshake Deals

• Alexander Noyes

The country has a long history of power-sharing deals that are sealed with a handshake. The truth is that this type of political bargaining typically does more harm than good.

Is Germany Headed to a Political Crisis?

• Michael Bröning

After losing a confidence vote and triggering snap elections, can Olaf Scholz lead mainstream parties back to power, or will more radical forces prevail?

Election Results—January 2024

Reports on elections in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Serbia, Sint Maarten, and Taiwan.

How to Defend the Vote from Authoritarians

• Giorgi Meladze
• Srdja Popovic

Georgia’s opposition is facing a pivotal election. But it isn’t enough to win: They need to be prepared to move quickly, mobilize the public, and force the regime to concede.

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Why He May Soon Be Remembered as “Putin the Weak”

• Michael McFaul

The Russian autocrat wanted to go down in history on par with Russia’s greatest leaders. He is increasingly looking like one of its weakest.

Tanzania Will Never Be the Same

• Dan Paget

Tanzania’s October election was a sham. When people rose up in protest, the regime responded with a brutal crackdown. That reign of terror marks a turning point for the country, and there is no going back.

Author Interview

New "Democracy Ideas" interview with Steven Heydemann about his JoD article "Tracking the "Arab Spring": Syria and the Future of Authoritarianism."

October 16, 2013

Meet the World’s Most Popular Dictator

Who is Nayib Bukele? Meet the president of El Salvador, the world’s most popular dictator.

Democracy Lab recommends January JoD

ForeignPolicy.com's Democracy Lab Weekly Brief has once again included the Journal of Democracy among its "recommended reads."

January 16, 2013

Maduro Can Only Rule Through Fear and Terror

• Paola Bautista de Alemán

The Venezuelan strongman lost the election and everyone knows it. He has nothing left to offer but violence and repression. It will be his undoing.

The Rise of the Xi Jinping Era

China’s Twentieth Party Congress opened this week in Beijing. President Xi Jinping is widely expected to cement his position as Chinese Communist Party leader for an unprecedented third term.

Did Muhammad Yunus Sign Up for Mission Impossible?

• Šumit Ganguly

The famed economist and Nobel laureate is charged with repairing what remains of Bangladesh’s democracy. But is someone even as accomplished as Yunus up to the task?