Twilight of Democracy: The Seductive Lure of Authoritarianism

Applebaum does not give an explicit definition of democracy. However, she does suggest that a successful, modern democracy is not simply a representative government. Democracies should have a “competitive model” and a “neutral state.” This competitive model would be economic and political, with businesses and political parties alike given the space to compete. Meanwhile, the institutions of a state, such as its courts and the media, should not be dominated by a single political party or agenda. At one point, Applebaum discusses how authoritarian governments rig both political parties and businesses. She thus implies that, for democracies, she sees the free market and democracy as strongly linked (27). Further, Applebaum at least implies that a healthy democracy is associated with “religious tolerance, independent judiciaries, free press and speech, economic integration, international institutions” (19).

When it comes to authoritarian governments, Applebaum is much more specific about its traits. Some key characteristics of authoritarian governments and their supporters in the current era she discusses include:

• Authoritarianism is not inherently right-wing or left-wing (16-19, 106).
• “Authoritarianism appeals […] to people who cannot tolerate complexity” (16, 106, 117-18).
• It requires the existence of an “elite” of writers and promoters whom Appelbaum calls