October 2007, Volume 18, Issue 4
Election Watch
Reports on elections in Cameroon, Congo-Brazzaville, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Mali, Morocco, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Timor-Leste, and Turkey.
2779 Results
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Africa’s Leaders for Life
The continent’s aspiring dictators are attacking term limits with a vengeance, finding new ways to avoid handing over power. But citizens are overwhelmingly against it — and can help keep their leaders in check.
January 2009, Volume 20, Issue 1
Misreading Muslim History
A review of The West and Islam: Religion and Political Thought in World History by Antony Black
April 2009, Volume 20, Issue 2
Reading Russia: The Rules of Survival
The image of Putin’s Russia as an authoritarian oil state attracts many Western analysts because it seems to carry a promise that falling oil prices will bring regime change. Thus, many were convinced that a major economic crisis would force the Kremlin either to open up the system and allow more pluralism and competition, or…
October 2007, Volume 18, Issue 4
Is East-Central Europe Backsliding? From Democracy Fatigue to Populist Backlash
The populist backlash against corruption, the CEE transition-era elites, and the liberal consensus has led to a democratic crisis, but does not portend systemic change.
July 2017, Volume 28, Issue 3
The Pipe Dream of Undemocratic Liberalism
A look at liberal democracy’s complex historical evolution shows that elite fantasies of liberalism without democracy are ill-founded. Authoritarian legacies and democratic deficits lie at the core of trends that threaten liberal rights.
October 2023, Volume 34, Issue 4
The Authoritarian Data Problem
AI is destined to become another stage for geopolitical conflict. In this contest, autocracies have the advantage, as they vacuum up valuable data from democracies, while democracies inevitably incorporate data tainted by repression.
April 2023, Volume 34, Issue 2
Why Monarchies Still Reign
Oppositions in monarchies don’t have to stage revolutions to win freedom: Monarchies are as compatible with democracy as they are with autocracy. The challenge for those who would remove a king is not to fall for the promises of reform that never come.
January 2023, Volume 34, Issue 1
How to Sharpen a Nonviolent Movement
The record shows that movements using “dilemma actions”—creative protests that make a regime look foolish—are often more effective at undermining authoritarians. Activists should add such tactics to their toolkit.
July 2021, Volume 32, Issue 3
Latin America Erupts: When Does Competitive Authoritarianism Take Root?
It is not easy to build a stable hybrid regime. Elected autocrats may try, but comparing Bolivia, Brazil, and Venezuela shows how difficult it is to succeed.
April 2021, Volume 32, Issue 2
The Americas: When Do Voters Support Power Grabs?
Recent survey research suggests that most voters disapprove of antidemocratic acts by elected leaders. Yet there are critical exceptions when a significant minority of voters are sympathetic to or even supportive of violations of democratic laws and norms.
October 2020, Volume 31, Issue 4
Covid vs. Democracy: India’s Illiberal Remedy
India’s covid-19 response has accelerated the country’s slide toward competitive authoritarian rule by centralizing decision making, undermining federalism, and providing new pretexts for stifling dissent.
April 2020, Volume 31, Issue 2
The Hard Truths of Brexit
The 2019 election ended years of turmoil over the United Kingdom’s relationship with the EU, but challenges to national unity and parliamentary sovereignty are only beginning to come to a head.
January 2020, Volume 31, Issue 1
Fear and Learning in the Arab Uprisings
Demonstrators in Algeria and Sudan have drawn on the experiences of earlier Arab protest movements in their efforts to push for lasting change.
October 2018, Volume 29, Issue 4
Latin America’s Shifting Politics: The Fading of Costa Rica’s Old Parties
Long hailed as one of the region’s most vigorous democracies, this small Central American country has seen voters swing massively toward newcomers and away from the two traditionally dominant parties.
April 2018, Volume 29, Issue 2
China in Xi’s “New Era”: Redefining Development
China has emerged as a key player in development assistance, challenging the mainstream development community’s emphasis on good governance.
January 2018, Volume 29, Issue 1
The Rise of Kleptocracy: Malaysia’s Missing Billions
One of the world’s worst public-corruption scandals shows how a lax international financial system enables massive graft in developing countries.
October 2016, Volume 27, Issue 4
The Specter Haunting Europe: Will the German Center Hold?
Europe’s democratic stability hinges on Germany, but a far-right challenger is on the rise. Can the country’s long-dominant centrist parties hold on?
October 2015, Volume 26, Issue 4
Authoritarianism Goes Global (II): China’s Foreign Propaganda Machine
China is aggressively working to reshape its image, touting the “Chinese Dream” and its desire for a peaceful rise to power on the international stage.
October 2015, Volume 26, Issue 4
After the Arab Spring: Are Secular Parties the Answer?
A close look at secular parties in the Middle East today raises doubts about whether they are ready for prime time.