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How Autocrats Are Reinventing Politics For The 21st Century

Timothy Ward

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Published in The Revenge Of Power: How Autocrats Are Reinventing Politics For The 21st Century

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In the 21st century, autocrats are reinventing politics by using new technologies, strategies, and tactics to maintain their power and control over their populations. These autocrats are not the traditional dictators of the past, but rather sophisticated and cunning leaders who are adept at using the tools of modern democracy to their advantage. They are using these tools to suppress dissent, control the media, and rig elections, all while maintaining a facade of legitimacy.

The Revenge of Power: How Autocrats Are Reinventing Politics for the 21st Century

by Moisés Naím

4.3 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	2143 KB
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Print length	:	309 pages

The New Tools of Autocracy

One of the most important tools that autocrats are using in the 21st century is technology. Social media, in particular, has become a powerful tool for autocrats to spread propaganda, control the flow of information, and monitor their citizens. For example, the Chinese government uses a vast network of surveillance cameras and facial recognition software to track its citizens' movements and activities. The Russian government uses social media to spread disinformation and propaganda, and to target its opponents with online harassment. Social media has also been used to organize protests and movements against autocratic regimes, but autocrats have become increasingly adept at using these same platforms to suppress dissent and control the narrative.

In addition to technology, autocrats are also using a variety of other strategies and tactics to maintain their power. These include:

Constitutional manipulation: Autocrats often change their constitutions to give themselves more power and to make it more difficult for their opponents to challenge them.
Control of the media: Autocrats often control the media through censorship, intimidation, and co-optation. This allows them to control the flow of information and to shape public opinion.
Electoral manipulation: Autocrats often rig elections through fraud, intimidation, and suppression of the opposition. This allows them to maintain the appearance of legitimacy while ensuring that they remain in power.
Repression of dissent: Autocrats often use violence, intimidation, and imprisonment to suppress dissent and to silence their opponents.

The Impact of Autocracy

The rise of autocracy in the 21st century has had a profound impact on the world. Autocrats have eroded democratic institutions, suppressed dissent, and violated human rights. They have also made the world more unstable and dangerous. The rise of autocracy is a major challenge to the international community, and it is important to understand the ways in which autocrats are reinventing politics in order to develop effective strategies to counter them.

The rise of autocracy in the 21st century is a serious threat to democracy and human rights. Autocrats are using new technologies, strategies, and tactics to maintain their power and control over their populations. It is important to understand the ways in which autocrats are reinventing politics in order to develop effective strategies to counter them.

The Revenge of Power: How Autocrats Are Reinventing Politics for the 21st Century

by Moisés Naím

4.3 out of 5