Competitive Authoritarianism – IOTW Report

Competitive Authoritarianism

What Levitsky says in this video will sound very familiar to you.
And what is happening today doesn’t have to continue.

“Steven Levitsky, professor of government at Harvard University, examines the phenomenon of competitive authoritarianism—the replacement of totalitarianism with regimes that conform to the external standards of democracy but retain many of the qualities of autocracy.

In the 1990s, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the West came to expect the establishment of democracy in countries around the world. Many nations—particularly those with less international leverage—could not afford to maintain dictatorships. However, the international community did not closely monitor these transitions to “democracy,” and newly formed competitive authoritarian regimes often fell into place.

These regimes hold elections, but the ruling party has such an unfair advantage over the opposition that it rarely loses. It controls state funds, security forces, and media outlets, and often harasses the opposition and its supporters.

A strong opposition movement from within can bring down authoritarianism, but such movements are rare in countries where civil society is drastically weakened. International pressure can also be effective, but primarily in countries with strong ties to the West. Levitsky tells us that one way to combat autocracies is to create more ties rather than isolate, so that the price of dictatorship becomes too high to sustain.”
WATCH Steven Levitsky speak at Oslo Freedom Forum 2011 Competitive Authoritarianism.

h/t Tore Says.

8 Comments on Competitive Authoritarianism

  1. First of all, People need to stop using this word “Democracy” in America especially.

    The left understand Democracy as I do: Communism.

    And what did our founder’s and framer’s say about DemocraCY..? iT’S INSANE.

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  2. Democracy is mob rule, and ideally, a representative republic is limited authority granted by the consent of the individual.
    We have neither at the present time.

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  3. Know what sucks about progress today..? I’m now surrounded by more zombies and maniacs than eva. I live in the lion’s den BTW (Santa Clara Country Ca..) Google, EBAY..shit..They are all around me. I work for none of them. never have. How would you like to walk into a Macy’s department and be greeted by an abomination in public..? A man with a beard about 6-1′ I shit you not! Turned around in full get-up. I was frozen……

    I shit you not! Real shockers you never forget…And zero bodily damage in any way for reminders…This is just “Hi!” And I say ” Holy ShIT!” internaly of coarse..Otherwise I may be escourted out

    I am a very compassionate human being. You have to be in America today, or you’ll destroy yourself.

  4. “Levitsky tells us that one way to combat autocracies is to create more ties rather than isolate, so that the price of dictatorship becomes too high to sustain.”

    Hey Levitsky, that’s exactly what our elites have been doing with China for forty years, and Afghanistan for twenty years: creating more ties. Now it’s we who are all tied up.

    You have nothing new to offer, only the same old endless wars, outsourcing and crooked politicians. Your establishment and Uniparty have been exposed for the amoral frauds they are. Get lost.

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  5. We are governed by a socialist/marxist mob now. They control every agency creating regulations far beyond the law and have been weaponized against the majority of citizens.
    We must continue to feed the beast with our tax dollars or face financial penalties and jail.
    “We the people” are dictated to under penalty of law regardless of the desires of the majority.

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