Dictatorship is not what it was once. Military and single-party regimes have been withering
away. Today, most dictators organize multiparty elections. The Politics of Uncertainty …

Why do some autocracies remain stable while others collapse? This article presents a
theoretical framework that seeks to explain the longevity of autocracies by referring to three …

This paper asks how contending political leaders legitimize their authority in a competitive
authoritarian regime. It contends that 'legitimization through patronage'is an important …

This article argues that neo-authoritarian regimes–meaning those autocratic regimes that
emerged after the end of the Cold War and during the fourth wave of democratisation–do not …

In The Two Logics of Autocratic Rule, Gerschewski argues that all autocracies must fulfil
three conditions to survive: the co-optation of key elites into their inner sanctum, the …

Scholars rank problems in economic performance among the most important reasons for the
collapse of autocratic regimes. This study forms no exception and explores the effect of …

Conceptualizing the “three pillars of stability”, Gerschewski (2013) proposes legitimation,
cooptation and repression as the fundamental principles of lasting autocratic rule. Recent …

Co-optation is one of the most important concepts that have been discussed in recent years
to explain the persistence of autocratic regimes. Institutions like parties, legislatures, and …

Political scientists frequently argue that authoritarian systems are per se economically
inefficient, non-innovative, and without legitimacy. China's economic success and relative …

Kim Jong-un may have committed crimes against humanity, but in the eyes of President
Donald Trump, success proves him right. The American president said in an interview …