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Archives: Authoritarianism

Resisting? 5 Lessons on Authoritarian Regimes from Latin America

By Cheryl Duckworth | (Informed Comment) | - - Daily headlines suggest we could soon be experiencing a genuine constitutional crisis. We’ve learned that White House lawyers are exploring if the President…

Turkish Legislators hold Sit-in to protest Creeping Dictatorship

TeleSur | - - Under the changes, lawmakers can also vote to ban for three sessions fellow parliamentarians who use expressions such as "Kurdistan" or "Kurdish provinces." Turkey’s main opposition staged a…

Morocco’s Rif Revolt: Only a Democratic Response is Sufficient

By Hsain Ilahiane | (Informed Comment) | - - Since October 2016, the Berbers (Imazighen) of the Rif, a region on the Mediterranean coast of Morocco, have been carrying out one of…

One Year Later: Why the Purges in Turkey Were Always in the Pipeline

By Sarphan Uzunoglu. | ( GlobalVoices.org ) | - - When it comes to Turkey, representatives of European Union countries—aided and abetted by Turkish liberals who got the ruling Justice and Development…

The Dangerous Unreality of Trumpland rests on a Totalitarian Foundation

By Dan Dinello | (Informed Comment) | - - Like the Black Lodge in David Lynch’s revival of Twin Peaks, reality is twisted into strange, absurd forms in the world of Trump.…

Turkey: Erdogan Marks Coup anniversary with more Crackdowns

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - President Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey commemorated on Saturday the anniversary of the failed coup in that country. The coup attempt was genuinely unpopular.…

Saudi Bloc: Qatar’s Al Jazeera can Stay, it Just has to Report as We Say

TeleSur | - - Al Jazeera said it rejects any “external intervention” and reiterates its “independence and professional editorial stance.” The four Arab countries currently boycotting Qatar are set to drop their…

With CNN Reporter Attack Video, Trump apes Seedy Dictators

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - Trump has taken another big step toward becoming an African dictator. On Sunday he tweeted a video someone made for him that was…

Speaking Truth to Erdogan: His Authoritarian Turn and Europe

By Ludwig Schulz | German Orient Institute | (Via Euractiv.com ) | - - Ludwig Schulz looks at how scientific analysis can help counter President Erdoğan’s fake narrative of Turkey’s thriving democracy…

Does Watching too much TV turn you into a Trump Voter?

By James Shanahan. | (The Conversation) | - - Many gallons of ink (and megabytes of electronic text) have been devoted to explaining the surprise victory of Donald Trump. Reasons range from…

Should the Pentagon be Propping up Dictatorships around the World?

By David Vine | ( Tomdispatch.com ) | - - Much outrage has been expressed in recent weeks over President Donald Trump’s invitation for a White House visit to Rodrigo Duterte, president…

The Sadism of creeping Dictatorship

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - One of the classic techniques of dictatorship is humiliation, a manifestation of the sadism of the regime. Most people want to avoid being…

Which Middle East Authoritarian Leader is Trump most Like?

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - Trump's abrupt and virtually unprecedented firing of FBI director Jim Comey raises the question of whether he and his far right wing circle…

Trump Empire-Dynasty Expands via White House Ties

By Nomi Prins | ( Tomdispatch.com) | - - President Trump, his children and their spouses, aren’t just using the Oval Office to augment their political legacy or secure future riches. Okay,…

Trump’s Real sin in DC is not distinguishing between “Good” and “Bad” Dictators

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - Donald J. Trump's peculiar comments about and relationship with dictators and loonies among foreign leaders have upset a range of observers, from sincere…

Priebus: Trump Could Amend Constitution to Abolish 1st Amendment

TeleSur | - - A constitutional amendment to stem negative coverage of any administration would require a supermajority in both houses of Congress. U.S. President Donald Trumps's chief of staff, Reince Priebus,…

Press Freedom in Middle East Cratering in Age of Brutal Dictatorships

By Brian Whitaker | ( Al-Bab.com ) | - - Among the 22 countries belonging to the Arab League, 17 are ranked as "bad" or "very bad" in the annual World Press…

As Leftist Turks Protest, Trump congratulates Erdogan on Authoritarian Turn

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - Several hundred Turks demonstrated in Istanbul on Monday in protest at the referendum result on Sunday transforming Turkey into a presidential system and…

Turkish Democracy in Trouble, but not Because of Presidential System

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | - - Turkey's historic referendum on Sunday will move the country from a parliamentary to a presidential system. Many observers are sounding a death knell…