Subject: Authoritarianism
October 1997, Volume 8, Issue 4
Mexico’s New Politics: The Weight of the Past
Read the full essay here.
July 1997, Volume 8, Issue 3
Theory in Pursuit of Practice
A review of The Political Economy of Democratic Transitions, by Stephan Haggard and Robert R. Kaufman.
January 1997, Volume 8, Issue 1
A Laureate’s Lament
A review of The Open Sore of a Continent: A Personal Narrative of the Nigerian Crisis, by Wole Soyinka.
October 1996, Volume 7, Issue 4
Soft Authoritarianism in Malaysia and Singapore
Read the full essay here.
July 1996, Volume 7, Issue 3
Democratization in the Middle East: Algeria’s Tragic Contradictions
Read the full essay here.
July 1995, Volume 6, Issue 3
Trouble in Paradise
A review of To Catch a Traitor in Lee Kuan Yew’s Prison, by Francis T. Seow.
January 1995, Volume 6, Issue 1
Democracy’s Future: The Primacy of Culture
Democratic consolidation in the East will face the most difficulties in the cultural sphere. Democracy’s fate will depend on how the West handles its own sociocultural problems.
January 1995, Volume 6, Issue 1
Democracy’s Future: Between Africa’s Extremes
Read the full essay here.
January 1995, Volume 6, Issue 1
Tyranny and Myth
A review of The Soviet Tragedy: A History of Socialism in Russia, 1917-1991, by Martin Malia and Modern Tyrants: The Power and Prevalence of Evil in Our Age, by Daniel Chirot.
July 1994, Volume 5, Issue 3
Latin America’s Critical Elections: Five Scenarios for Mexico
Read the full essay here.
July 1993, Volume 4, Issue 3
Politics After Communism: Ukraine—A View from Within
Read the full essay here.
October 1992, Volume 3, Issue 4
The Islamist Challenge: The Failure of Reform in Tunisia
Read the full essay here.
July 1992, Volume 3, Issue 3
Marx, Schumpeter, and the East Asian Experience
Read the full essay here.
Spring 1991, Volume 2, Issue 2
The Nations of the USSR
A review of Hidden Nations: The People Challenge the Soviet Union, by Nadia Diuk and Adrian Karatnycky.
Fall 1990, Volume 1, Issue 4
Paraguay After Stroessner: Democratizing the One-Party State
Read the full essay here.
Summer 1990, Volume 1, Issue 3
Third World Communism in Crisis: Castro’s Last Stand
Read the full essay here.
Summer 1990, Volume 1, Issue 3
Technology and Freedom
A review of Power, Press, and the Technology of Freedom: The Coming Age of ISDN, by Leonard R. Sussman.
Winter 1990, Volume 1, Issue 1
The Crumbling of the Soviet Bloc: Overcoming Totalitarianism
Read the full essay here.
Winter 1990, Volume 1, Issue 1
Achebe’s Africa
A review of Anthills of the Savannah, by Chinua Achebe.
La destrucción silenciosa de Bolivia
Los bosques amazónicos de Bolivia se están convirtiendo en tierra arrasada, con millones de acres perdidos cada año a causa de incendios descontrolados. Peor aún, este desastre está siendo provocado por un gobierno más interesado en obtener ganancias corruptas que en proteger a su pueblo y su fauna.
Bolivia’s Silent Destruction
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.
How to Defend the Vote from Authoritarians
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.
Tunisia’s Insecure Strongman
Kais Saied is claiming a landslide election win. The truth is he was never willing to face a real competition. Just how insecure he feels will likely determine how much more repressive he will become.
Why Vladimir Kara-Murza Gave Up His Freedom
The Russian dissident journalist and activist knew if he returned to Russia he would be imprisoned or worse. But he was plagued by one question that compelled him to go.
Why Egypt Is Growing More Unstable Fast
The economy is spiraling, public frustration is mounting, and the regime is becoming more repressive. The next time Egyptians come to the streets, they will be looking for more than promises and free elections.
Viktor Orbán’s Newest Tool for Crushing Dissent
He has created a new office with massive investigatory powers that are vaguely defined and leave everyone on edge. In other words, it’s classic Orbán.
What It Takes to Win the New Cold War with China
Our struggle against the Soviet Union offers vital lessons for how to confront the aggressive totalitarian threat that Beijing now represents.
Defending Democracy in an Age of Sharp Power
Explores how authoritarian regimes are deploying “sharp power” to undermine democracies from within by weaponizing universities, institutions, media, technology, and entertainment industries.
Why He May Soon Be Remembered as “Putin the Weak”
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.
This Is Not the End of Putin’s Troubles
Yevgeny Prigozhin’s rebellion has exposed the fundamental instability of Putinism.
Putin Just Learned Why You Don’t Trust Mercenaries
The Russian autocrat forgot an age-old truth about working with common criminals and soldiers for hire.
Believe Nothing Putin or Prigozhin Tell You
In the days ahead, the West must remain calm—and redouble its support for Ukraine.
Putin’s Formula for Ruling Russia Is Failing
The Russian autocrat’s system of control has rested on pillars that are beginning to crumble.
How Maduro Survived
The Venezuelan dictator defied sanctions, international isolation, and massive protests. He appears to have a firmer footing than he’s had in years. Now what?
Why Vladimir Putin’s Luck Ran Out
For twenty years, the Russian autocrat enjoyed a string of good fortune in coming to power and cementing his rule. He had raised Russia’s standing in the world. Then he invaded Ukraine.
What Mattered to You in 2022
In 2022, we began publishing shorter, exclusively online pieces. No topic mattered more to you than Russia’s disastrous war in Ukraine. We also published essays from the sharpest minds on protests in China and Iran, instability in Pakistan, and more.
After a Wave of Protests, China’s Silent Crackdown
Nationwide protests against Xi Jinping’s zero-covid policy caught the Chinese Communist Party off-guard. Expect the Party’s security apparatus to strike back with quiet precision.
Breaking Out of Xi’s Great Prison
Chinese citizens from Urumqi to Shanghai took to the streets, blank sheets of white paper in hand, to denounce the CCP and call for change. Xi Jinping’s repression and zero-covid lockdowns has united the public in empathy and anger.
For Xi Jinping, the Economy Is No Longer the Priority
Beijing’s focus has been on strong and steady economic growth for decades. But China’s leader has just put an end to that era. For Xi, it’s only about power—at home and abroad.
Putin’s Big Gamble
The Kremlin’s order to call up Russians to fight in Ukraine risks massive protests. It’s the riskiest decision of Putin’s rule, and it could lead to his undoing.
What Does a Humiliated Putin Mean for Russia?
While widespread violence or civil war was averted, the consequences for Russia—and Putin—could be grave.
How Putin’s War in Ukraine Has Ruined Russia
In a matter of weeks, the Russian autocrat has erased his country’s prosperity in a feckless attempt to rebuild a doomed empire.
Defeating Putin in Ukraine Is Vital to the Future of Democracy
Why we must tackle the threat posed by Putin and his authoritarianism head on.
Will Putin Outlast the War?
Russia’s autocrat may be weakened, but his grip on power is greater than many people realize.
Why Putin’s Days Are Numbered
The system that Russia’s autocrat built wasn’t designed to survive the pressures it is now facing.