January 2025, Volume 36, Issue 1
Confronting Our Common Enemy
Regime type is important, but it is the power of the fossil-fuel industry in both autocracies and democracies that is blocking the green transition globally.
2032 Results
Miami Times Black Wall Street March 11 2025 article opening quote
January 2025, Volume 36, Issue 1
Is Mexico at the Gates of Authoritarianism?
The country’s outgoing president relentlessly attacked Mexico’s democratic institutions, taking it to the brink of authoritarianism. His successor is poised to push its democracy over the edge.
January 2025, Volume 36, Issue 1
How Maduro Stole Venezuela’s Vote
Nicolás Maduro brazenly stole Venezuela’s 2024 presidential election, despite a free, fair, and transparent ballot count that showed a clear opposition victory. Why would an autocrat want to maintain one of the world’s best voting systems?
April 2025, Volume 36, Issue 2
Divining Syria’s Future
Everything we know about getting and keeping democracy suggests we should be, at best, cautious about the prospects for Syria’s democratic future. But, as this collection of essays suggests, there are reasons for hope.
April 2025, Volume 36, Issue 2
The Authoritarian Origins of the Third Wave
The “third wave” of democracy started in 1974 — or so the story goes. But the crests and crashes of waves of democracy and authoritarianism have been neglected. A close look can help us understand the current moment, when democracy appears to be in retreat.
April 2025, Volume 36, Issue 2
Neoliberalism and the Third Wave
Democracy across the world is being undermined by the very forces that once made it possible: the liberal economic order and political competition. The global concentration of wealth has made democratic governance less effective and stripped the people of their power.
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.
October 2003, Volume 14, Issue 4
Making Sense of the EU: Democracy in Europe and Europe’s Democratization
Europe faces a potentially dangerous “double bind”: The legitimacy of domestic democracy in the member states is waning, and citizens are increasingly unhappy with the EU’s lack of accountability—but the new draft Constitution fails to address the problem.
July 2003, Volume 14, Issue 3
Documents on Democracy
Excerpts from: Kenyan president-elect Emilio Mwai Kibaki’s inaugural speech; statement by the International Movement of Parliamentarians for Democracy condemning the crackdown on Cuban dissidents; Organization of American States (OAS) secretary-general César Gaviria’s speech at a conference entitled “Financing Democracy: Political Parties, Campaigns and Elections.”
October 2002, Volume 13, Issue 4
Election Watch
Reports on elections in Bolivia, Cameroon, Congo-Brazzaville, the Czech Republic, Guinea, Papua New Guinea.
October 2001, Volume 12, Issue 4
Election Watch
Reports on elections in Albania, Belarus, Bulgaria, East Timor, Fiji, São Tomé and Principe, Seychelles, and Uganda.
Summer 1991, Volume 2, Issue 3
Election Watch
Reports on elections in Albania, Benin, India, Nepal, Suriname, the USSR, and Western Samoa.
October 2017, Volume 28, Issue 4
Documents on Democracy
Excerpts from: an open letter calling for the release of democracy activists in Hong Kong; excerpts from the inaugural address of new South Korean president Moon Jae In.
The Economist discusses JoD’s China cluster
In "The Old Regime and the Revolution" (3/16/13), the Economist cites the JoD cluster "China at the Tipping Point?"
March 19, 2013
July 2006, Volume 17, Issue 3
Universal Values and Muslim Democracy
The desire for freedom and self-government is written in human hearts everywhere; in this there can be no "clash of civilizations." Claims that Islam is inherently hostile to democracy represent an unwarranted surrender to fundamentalist arguments; we should engage with a broad spectrum of Muslim groups, but without compromising our commitment to freedom and democracy.
April 2002, Volume 13, Issue 2
Argentina: Crisis and Democratic Consolidation
Argentina made headlines around the world last December as its presidency changed hands no fewer than four times in less than two weeks. Lost amid the chaos, however, were hopeful signs that the country has now turned the corner of democratic consolidation.
July 2001, Volume 12, Issue 3
History and Memory: The Revolutions of 1989-91
There has been surprisingly little celebration of the tenth anniversary of the revolutions that brought down communism. The exaggerated hopes of the time have given way to disillusionment, but the real achievements of many of the postcommunist countries should not be discounted.
Fall 1990, Volume 1, Issue 4
Election Watch
Reports on elections in: Ecuador, Mongolia, and São Tomé & Príncipe.