BREAKING DOWN DEMOCRACY: Goals, Strategies, and Methods of Modern Authoritarians alternative perspectives are permitted on a carefully line is the only correct line, but that facts do not exist rationed basis. But dissenting opinions are invari- as such and nothing can be believed. ably subjected to relentless attack and ridicule, and . . the dissidents themselves face a form of character eine iameiern: iccmmmiees : . assassination in which their views are twisted to make The Chinese mosiel of intomation sentral aiffens in them appear foolish, extreme, unpatriotic, or immoral. crucial ways from the propaganda methods favored ey Russia. Especially in its policies towards the internet, Christopher Walker, a vice president at the National Cring HSGIRES is crepes Gi PEBVERES BEBESS te it Endowment for Democracy who has written exten- formation Orns onawide ami perpetually evolving sively on modern authoritarianism, believes that con- Bhge-ar sLibjeste"iiae the Paling CAinese (onimllnist trol of information is the most important achievement Party (CCP) regards as sensitive. of today’s generation of autocrats: Under Xi Jinping, who took power in late 2012, the | think modern authoritarians have been government has been much more open in arguing for adept at adjusting to the new environment. the right of the political leadership to censor internet They recognize that trying to control the content. He has, in fact, launched a campaign de- wealth of information out there is impossi- signed to radically redraw the global rules on internet ble, and therefore they don't try. There are freedom so as to enshrine the concept of “internet 4 WuUMber OF countheSsawhich have found sovereignty,” according to which individual countries effective ways to incorporate entertainment would “independently choose their own path of cyber and culture into their media offerings while development" and “model of cyber regulation." keeping domination over the political sphere. They have thus defied