Forms of Authoritarian Rule
When democracies’ institutions of representation ossify and leaders seem out of touch with citizens, people may seek authoritarian alternatives that promise to directly solve their problems. This is the recipe for populist authoritarianism, such as that practiced by Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey and Hugo Chavez in Venezuela. Such forms of rule typically erode democracy by restricting political freedoms, using democratic institutions to greatly extend their own terms in office (such as referenda), and dismantling or bypassing other branches of government—in particular, judiciary bodies.
While there is no single bright line that a country crosses to become an authoritarian regime, scholars have identified common patterns among them. Authoritarians seek to control all aspects of society—including media, nongovernmental organizations, and business and economics—and rely on a combination of tactics to do so.
They may use a variety of justifications for their power grab, but a prominent justification is that unquestioning obedience is necessary to maintain order and avoid chaos and great harm. They may also invoke a sense of national unity and/or racial or ethnic identity to sustain popular support.
In addition, authoritarians bolster their grip on power through international assistance. They may provide financial and military aid to other authoritarians in exchange for support against democracy’s defenders. Alternatively, they may rely on “salami tactics,” cutting away at democracy a sliver at a time. Finally, they sometimes stoke politically-useful violence—a tactic that can help justify restrictions on civil liberties and coercive security measures.
