Authoritarian Breakdown Flashcards
Different types of dictatorships
- Any regime where no turnover of executive power occurs (Barbara Geddes)
Could be led by:
A political party (China communist party_)
Military Junta ( south america, algeria)
One leader
Monarchy/Ruling family (saudi arabia, King Abdul)
Dictators need a launching organisation to power
- Military
- single party
Gaining power is easier when democratic institutions are week
if the launching organisation itself is weak, dictators are embolden to take power into his own hands and it becomes a personalist regime
Personalist dictator ships
Once in power consumed in holding onto power.
As there are not institutional mechanisms for succession, he becomes increasingly paranoid
How to eliminate potential rivals
Coup-proof
Weakening military (reduce weapons, training), create a separate armed forces to offset a coup
weakening own political party (
Legislative and Judicial branch weakened or eliminated (appointing submissive judiciary), choose who can run and for what office.
Weaken bureaucracy, firing and hiring, creating insecurity and chaos so no one bureaucrat can gain expertise and power to challenge
Most kleptocratic
They see life in power as fleeting (mode of exit is usually violent) so they horde
no checks on the power to prevent stealing
Single Party Regimes and Monarchy
More decision making people, power is centralised but not individual.
Institutionalised mode of succession: PRI (political party) in Mexico only have present rule for 6 years Same for China PAP singapore party Thus leader is less paranoid
Military Regimes
Don’t last long, their average in power is around 2 years.
Want to go back to the barracks once corporate unity is threatened.
Don’t want to upset legitimacy and heirarchy in military
They can hold power behind the scenes with a huge military budget if they give up power strategically.
However if military is communally recruited (along ethnic or religious lines)
Like the syrian army that is made up of mostly Alawites they are less likely to give up power if give up power, specifically if the group is tied to the regime. For fear of being punished.
Why Personalist leaders get dragged
- Surrounded by sycophants and yes men, gives them a big head, alter age
- Qaddafi and Hussein
- Believe they personify the state, one with the state
- Dictator can ingineer own retirement.
Jerry Rawlings of Ghana, appointed himself an elder position.
