Democracy remains a youthful experiment, its principles intuitively appealing and its heaven-on-earth direction (instead of heaven somewhere else) attractive to many who had come from being of little value in traditional
authoritarian societies.
As eco-authoritarianism has re-emerged into contemporary environmental discourse, a number of scholars have begun to pay closer attention to the environmental and political performance of actual
authoritarian societies, primarily including but not limited to China.
Very few people want to move to
authoritarian societies, while millions want to move to democracies.
In liberal societies, individuals or groups that advocate the replacement of democracy with a more authoritarian regime are labeled extremists; in
authoritarian societies, those who espouse liberal ideals are labeled as extremists by the ruling class or government.
The research, authored by Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Erica Frantz, not only presents insightful data on the prospects for democracy in post-autocratic societies, but also offers democracy assistance implementers new ways of thinking about how to best support reform-minded activists living in
authoritarian societies.
Over and over, whether it is in Brazil or Qatar preparing for the soccer World Cup, or the Olympic Games held in oppressive and
authoritarian societies, the same contradiction becomes apparent.
Over and over, whether it is in Brazil or Qatar preparing for the World Cup or the Olympic Games held in oppressive and
authoritarian societies, the same contradiction becomes apparent.
As the single most powerful state economically, technologically, and militarily, the United States is the exemplar of success enjoyed by free societies that
authoritarian societies most deeply oppose.
Writing on the phenomenon in The New Yorker, critic Laura Miller wondered if the
authoritarian societies that dominate the trend are analogues to the oppressive world of high-school students, who are constantly monitored and hassled and forced to compete.
Muslim women in strict
authoritarian societies do not usually have the option of seeking the law's protection.
Morozov criticizes the belief that free access to information, combined with new tools of mobilization afforded by blogs and social networks, will lead to the opening of
authoritarian societies and their eventual democratization.
The situation abroad is even worse, as the war against terror is used to excuse an attrition of liberty in democratic and
authoritarian societies the world over.
