@jodemocracy.bsky.social
The Journal of Democracy: The smartest analysis on democracy and authoritarianism around the world. Reposts ≠ Endorsement. https://linkin.bio/jodemocracy
@jodemocracy.bsky.socialNo, the solution is not for everyone to simply "calm down," insists @lilymasonphd.bsky.social.
Polarization flares because a faction of the country wants to reverse social progress.
"The fury of the argument shows the importance of the outcome."
@jodemocracy.bsky.socialCould the answer to democratic decline be...the welfare state?
It seems to be protecting democratic norms in South Korea and Taiwan, writes @josephwongut.bsky.social.
@jodemocracy.bsky.socialIn a fragmented order without a major power committed to promoting democratic norms, democracies must depend on many actors whose interests rarely align with democratic ends. @senemaydndzgit.bsky.social @berkesen.bsky.social
Read "The Age of Authoritarian Abundance":
muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/a...
@jodemocracy.bsky.socialThe Constitutional Court is now paralyzed, key regulatory bodies sit vacant, the annual budget bill is a half-year late, and the premier has refused to countersign legislation.
Can Taiwan make its divided government work? @kharist.bsky.social
@jodemocracy.bsky.socialIlliberal leaders can now identify and punish bureaucrats they consider disloyal at scale, thanks to AI.
How can we protect democracy-defending bureaucrats from AI overreach? @mnagawa.bsky.social
@jodemocracy.bsky.socialWhat is authoritarian AI's "last-mile problem"? 🙋
🧍Autocrats can't remove the human element of repression. Human agents are necessary to ensure repression is effective, but also to signal an autocrat's popularity.
Learn why AI can't be the autocrats' silver bullet:
muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/a...
@jodemocracy.bsky.socialCan a type of technology really drive political change? Rabah Arezki says yes. Here's how:
@jodemocracy.bsky.social⚠️ The field of nonviolent action has fallen behind, but the tactics of authoritarians are advancing. How can democracy defenders bridge this gap? 🪧
@jodemocracy.bsky.socialCan America reverse the damage caused by the competitive authoritarianism installed by Donald Trump? 🚨
Only if both parties commit to the defense of American democracy, write Steven Levitsky and Lucan A. Way. 🫏 🐘 🇺🇸
@jodemocracy.bsky.socialWhat can protests actually accomplish? 📢 They can:
🧑⚖️ Empower institutional actors to curb executive overreach
🧑🤝🧑 Mobilize disengaged citizens to vote
🙅 Erode support for incumbents
Read how protests can actually halt backsliding:
muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/a...
@jodemocracy.bsky.socialWhen autocratizing leaders attempt to gain power by attacking the judiciary, courts must rely on legislators, civil society groups, and international actors to help them survive executive aggrandizement.
Learn more:
muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/a...
@jodemocracy.bsky.socialHow can we persuade allies of authoritarians to defect from the regime? ‼️
✍️ Report corruption through persistent journalism
Depolarize to reduce the cost of defecting
🗳️ Support defecting politicians
Learn more:
muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/a...
@jodemocracy.bsky.social🤔 Why build a coalition? 💭
✅ In authoritarian contexts, building a coalition can increase the chances of victory.
❌ The downside? Extreme polarization means uniting publicly with a disliked party can harm your chances.
Learn how to build the right coalition:
@jodemocracy.bsky.socialA divided government has caught Taiwan in a slowly escalating constitutional crisis. 🇹🇼
Learn how the dilemma is progressing and whether it will be fatal for Taiwan's democracy:
@jodemocracy.bsky.social🦠 Polarization is a symptom, not the root problem, writes Lilliana Mason.
"Because political polarization is a symptom, and not the root of the problem that ails us, 'fixing' polarization will not restore American democratic health."
@jodemocracy.bsky.social🇰🇷🇹🇼 Democracy in South Korea and Taiwan has remained remarkably resilient for a surprising reason: their commitment to the welfare state.💰
Learn how this helps their democracies:
@jodemocracy.bsky.social🚨 All major powers today are either authoritarian or led by figures who are pursuing autocratizing trajectories. 🚨
What will this new "age of authoritarian abundance" entail?
@jodemocracy.bsky.social👨💼 Civil servants' autonomy grants them the ability to quietly resist executive aggrandizement. ✍️
🤖 AI is becoming a threat to these neglected democracy defenders.
Learn how:
muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/a...
@jodemocracy.bsky.social🤖 AI offers autocrats advanced risk-classification and facial-recognition systems that can be used to surveil citizens en masse. 👁️
👁️🗨️ Is AI the autocrats’ silver bullet?
@jodemocracy.bsky.social📲 "Liberation technology" is the concept that digital communication can inherently deliver liberalization in authoritarian regimes. But does such a thing exist?
💬 Rabah Arezki says yes.
Learn what Arezki considers "the real liberation technology" here:
