Authoritarianism | Council on Foreign Relations

Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia Stories to Watch in 2020: Part 1

1. Continuing Political Regression In recent weeks, Southeast Asia’s authoritarian drift has continued, with several notable events. The Thai government moved to ban the opposition Future Forward …

Blog Post by Joshua Kurlantzick December 16, 2019 Asia Unbound
Civil Society

Should There Be a "Right to Assist" Campaigns of Civil Resistance?

A "Right to Assist" could help prevent violent conflict and ease democratic transitions. But several important questions remain unanswered.

Blog Post by Stewart M. Patrick October 21, 2019 The Internationalist
Hong Kong

Podcast: Joshua Wong and Brian Leung on Hong Kong's Pro-democracy Movement

Ever since protests gained traction in late spring, Hong Kong has been a focal point for international attention. The protests, which drew approximately two million participants at one point, have continued amid reports of police brutality and threats of mainland intervention. Although Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam stated that she will withdraw the extradition bill that spurred the protests, the protesters’ demands have grown since their inception and the demonstrations show no sign of ending soon. Joshua Wong and Brian Leung have been two of the movement’s most vocal leaders. Wong serves as the Secretary General of Demosistō, a Hong Kong pro-democracy political party, and Leung garnered attention for removing his face mask while leading protests inside the Hong Kong Legislative Council in July 2019. In mid-September, Wong and Leung traveled to the United States to meet with U.S. officials to press their case. In this podcast, they sit down with Dr. Elizabeth Economy to discuss the roots of their political activism, their thoughts on the protest’s current status, and their goals for their tour abroad.

Podcast September 18, 2019 Asia Unbound

Southeast Asia

Authoritarian Modernism in East Asia: A Review

Over the past decade, democracy has regressed in much of Asia, though there are notable exceptions including Malaysia and Taiwan. Southeast Asia has witnessed a reversal in Thailand, weakening instit…

Blog Post by Joshua Kurlantzick September 4, 2019 Asia Unbound
5G

Securing 5G Networks

5G networks are expected to revolutionize the digital economy. But with this opportunity comes major cybersecurity challenges. U.S. policymakers need to respond using technical and regulatory measures, diplomacy, and investments in cybersecurity skills training.

Report by Robert Williams July 15, 2019 Digital and Cyberspace Policy Program
Southeast Asia

Can Democracy’s Breakdown in Asia be Stopped?

It has become, at this point, almost a trope to conclude that global democracy is increasingly imperiled, but there is considerable evidence backing this theory. In response to the global threats to …

Blog Post by Joshua Kurlantzick July 10, 2019 Asia Unbound
Venezuela

The Venezuelan Exodus

More than three million Venezuelans have fled poverty, hunger, violence, and persecution in recent years, journeying throughout the Americas and Southern Europe.

In Brief by Rocio Cara Labrador and Will Merrow July 8, 2019
Venezuela

Stabilizing Venezuela: Scenarios and Options

The Venezuelan crisis threatens the interests and security of the United States and Venezuela's neighbors. The United States and regional partners need to provide humanitarian relief and security assistance and accelerate change to a post-Maduro democracy.

Contingency Planning Memorandum by Frank O. Mora June 14, 2019 Center for Preventive Action
Authoritarianism

An Inside Look at Political Imprisonment

Panelists discuss the use of imprisonment and torture as political tools of authoritarian regimes, including their experiences with political imprisonment in Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Syria, and their perspectives on the mass incarceration and mistreatment of dissidents in those countries. The panel also addresses the challenges of formulating effective responses to these violations as populations seek political freedoms and democratic reforms.

Event with Abdullah Alaoudh, Mouaz Moustafa, Jason Rezaian and Anne E. Barnard May 13, 2019
Libya

The American Tradition of Supporting Authoritarianism

Loving Dictators Is as American as Apple Pie

Blog Post by Steven A. Cook May 6, 2019 From the Potomac to the Euphrates
Libya

Loving Dictators Is as American as Apple Pie

Trump has embraced yet another strongman, this time in Libya. But it’s not just a personal failing—it’s a national tradition.

Article by Steven A. Cook May 6, 2019
Southeast Asia

The State of Global Democracy Today is Even Worse Than It Looks: V-Dem’s New Democracy Research

It has become accepted, among most experts on democracy, and among policymakers, that democracy worldwide is in increasing peril. This year’s Freedom in the World annual report on the state of democr…

Blog Post by Joshua Kurlantzick April 3, 2019 Asia Unbound
Venezuela

Maduro’s Allies: Who Backs the Venezuelan Regime?

The staying power of Nicolas Maduro’s embattled government may hinge on three critical allies: Russia, China, and Cuba.

In Brief by Rocio Cara Labrador February 5, 2019
Philippines

Rodrigo Duterte: Fire and Fury in the Philippines: A Review

In the months before Brazil’s elections in October 2018, many experts both within and outside the country dismissed the possibility that Jair Bolsonaro, a former army captain and previously obscure f…

Blog Post by Joshua Kurlantzick January 14, 2019 Asia Unbound
China

China's Police State: The Human Rights Crisis in Xinjiang

China has turned Xinjiang into a surveillance state. It’s estimated that over a million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities have been put in “re-education camps” where detainees are made to drink alc…

Event with Elizabeth C. Economy and Pin Lu November 5, 2018 Asia Program