Autocracy, Inc.: The Dictators Who Want to Run the World

Anne Applebaum uses the term “autocracy” to describe a system of government where power is centralized in the hands of a single ruler or a group, often without regard for democratic principles. Autocracies are characterized by the suppression of dissent, the control of media and information, and the manipulation of legal systems to maintain power. Applebaum examines how modern autocracies collaborate across borders, forming networks that protect and reinforce one another, creating a global challenge to liberal democracy.

In Autocracy, Inc., Applebaum frames democracy as the ideological counterweight to autocratic regimes, which seek to erode its principles both domestically and internationally. Applebaum explores how autocracies undermine democracies by exploiting their openness, using disinformation, corruption, and economic leverage to destabilize democratic institutions, while also presenting democracy as a fragile system constantly needing defense against authoritarian encroachment. Nevertheless, beyond the binary role it plays in relation to autocracies, Applebaum does not analyze what exactly defines democracies and what their strengths are.

In Autocracy, Inc., “kleptocracy” is a system of governance where leaders exploit their country’s resources and institutions for personal gain, prioritizing wealth accumulation over public welfare. In such regimes, corruption is institutionalized, with ruling elites utilizing state assets for personal benefit, while weakening accountability and transparency mechanisms. Applebaum highlights how leaders and participants in kleptocracies forge transnational networks to launder their ill-gotten gains, undermining global democratic norms.

Ostpolitik is the German foreign policy approach from the Cold War era aimed at improving relations with Eastern Bloc countries, particularly through economic engagement and diplomacy. Applebaum critiques how modern adaptations of this policy have enabled autocratic regimes by prioritizing economic ties over confronting human rights abuses or authoritarianism.

Tiananmen Square refers to the 1989 pro-democracy protests initiated by students, then joined by thousands of protesters in Tiananmen Square, Beijing. The protests were brutally crushed by the Chinese government. Applebaum examines how the Chinese government’s ability to erase the memory of Tiananmen Square from public discourse reflects the broader autocratic tactic of controlling historical narratives, silencing any challenge to the legitimacy of the regime.