Description

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Authoritarianism is one of the buzzwords of our age. But what is it exactly? This Very Short Introduction provides a comprehensive introduction to the world of authoritarian regimes, including military, single-party, and personalist regimes. It considers how understandings of authoritarianism have evolved over time, as well as the curious fact that many authoritarian regimes today hold elections. James Loxton examines the "life cycle" of authoritarian regimes: from democratic breakdown, to the challenges that authoritarian regimes face, and how changes in the international environment and the decisions of the democratic opposition can encourage authoritarian regimes to give up power. The author shows how factors such as natural resource wealth, violent revolution, and cross-border collaboration can contribute to authoritarian durability. He also highlights the disturbing fact that even when authoritarian regimes collapse, voters often use their newfound democratic rights to send former authoritarian officials back to office.

About the Author

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James Loxton, Lecturer in Comparative Politics, Department of Government and International Relations, University of Sydney James Loxton is a Senior Lecturer in Comparative Politics at the University of Sydney. He is the award-winning author of Conservative Party-Building in Latin America: Authoritarian Inheritance and Counterrevolutionary Struggle (2021) and co-editor of Life after Dictatorship: Authoritarian Successor Parties Worldwide (2018). He holds a PhD in Government from Harvard University.