Autocracy Inc.

Provocative and relevant, renowned journalist and historian Anne Applebaum's new book, Autocracy Inc. , is an urgent analysis of the rise and consolidation of autocracies in the 21st century.

A world in which autocracies work together to maintain power, promote their systems, and undermine democracies is not a distant dystopia. It is the world we live in now.

Contrary to the traditional model of an oppressive regime strengthened by the figure of a leader, today's autocracies are sustained by intricate networks of corruption, surveillance technologies, and propaganda strategies. Collaborating with one another, authoritarian rulers such as those in Venezuela, Russia, and Iran have used kleptocracy and violence, without regard for criticism, in the relentless pursuit of personal enrichment.

Observing their shared strategies, it is clear that these governments have similar narratives: they seek reelection; they delegitimize the opposition; they extol nationalism and conservative agendas; they use spying software to control and violate the population's privacy; they weaken gender and human rights agendas; among others.

Through detailed analysis, Applebaum shows how the internet, rather than being a tool for freedom and transparency, has been the main weapon in strengthening illiberal ideas.

Aware of the current challenge, the author invites readers to reflect on the impact of autocracies on democracy and the international order, and to consider the role each can play in the fight against tyranny and the promotion of fairer values.

" Autocracy, Inc. is a valuable book for many reasons, but its focus on the accumulation of illicit wealth and the democracies that enable it is especially timely. As is Applebaum's recommendation that autocratic behavior be combated when it occurs." - The Washington Post