List of Authoritarianism articles
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A framed picture of Bashar al-Assad is seen with its glass shattered on the ground. How the World Got Syria Wrong
The international community misjudged the strength of the Assad regime—and its fixation on an external political process is being overtaken by internal events.
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A torn picture of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is seen at the Bab al-Hawa border gate between Turkey and Syria on July 21, 2012. Why Assad’s Regime Is Collapsing So Quickly
While nobody was looking, the Syrian regime was increasingly hollowing out.
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Soldiers try to enter the National Assembly building in Seoul on Dec. 4, after South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law. How South Koreans Rejected Martial Law
A self-coup attempt by President Yoon Suk-yeol has dramatically flopped.
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Mohammed bin Salman arrives at the Future Investment Initiative FII conference in the Saudi capital Riyadh on October 24, 2018. The Real Reason for Saudi Arabia’s Pivot to Iran
Mohammed bin Salman’s changed tone on Tehran isn’t as confusing as it seems.
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Women protesters hold up signs. Gender Wars Are an Early Warning Sign for Authoritarianism
Women’s rights are at the forefront of security risks—and resistance.
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GettyImages-627451922 (1) Lula Is Finally Turning on Venezuela
After decades of support, Brazil is finally being forced to recalibrate its regional strategy.
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Russia-wikipedia-weapon How Russia Invaded Wikipedia
The Kremlin is weaponizing an alternative version of the website—and rewriting the facts of Putin’s war against Ukraine.
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A dark metal statue of two soldiers is seen at left as people stand to the right and take photos of it. The soldiers are Russian mercenaries; a Russian flag bearing the emblem of Russia hangs over the shoulder of one, who also points a rifle to the right. Fluffy pale clouds cover the sky overhead, and a parking lot is visible beyond. Russia Is Riding an Anti-Colonial Wave Across Africa
The onetime cause célèbre of the international left is being appropriated for authoritarian ends.
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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (left) and then-South Korean President Moon Jae-in cross the military demarcation line to the south side during the inter-Korean summit in Panmunjom, South Korea. How to Get Kim Jong Un’s Email
A South Korean presidential memoir reflects on tough diplomatic choices.
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Elon Musk speaks in Paris, on June 16, 2023. Elon Musk vs. (Parts of) the World
The billionaire’s battles with governments raise tough questions about digital rights and online speech.
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The headquarters of ByteDance, the parent company of video sharing app TikTok, is seen in Beijing on Sept. 16, 2020. Banning TikTok Won’t Keep Your Data Safe
Pompous billionaires, authoritarian regimes, and opaque oligarchs are hoarding our data. Only an alternative online ecosystem will stop them.
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In this black-and-white photo from 1984, Nicaraguan leader Daniel Ortega is seen in profile as he speaks to a crowd of reporters and citizens at an outdoor press conference. Ortega gestures with one open hand and holds a microphone in the other. Members of the press hold up cameras or jot in notebooks. Is Nicaragua’s Dictatorship Nearing Its End?
How the once-revolutionary Ortega regime may have destined itself to the dustbin of history.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un toast during a state visit in Pyongyang on June 19, in a photo distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik. The Anti-Authoritarian Handbook
Today’s autocrats have formed a global network. Those fighting them will have to do the same.
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A crowd marches forward; the man in the middle has blood on his shirt and appears to have a head injury. The Deep Roots of Bangladesh’s Crisis
How protests against a quota system turned into an uprising against Sheikh Hasina’s government.
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A man holds a sign reading: "Down with France down with ECOWAS," using the bloc's French acronym CEDEAO, as supporters of Niger's National Council for Safeguard of the Homeland gather in Niamey on Aug. 26, 2023. How ECOWAS Lost Its Way
An inability to stand up to constitutional coups—most recently in Togo—has undermined the bloc’s credibility.
