BREAKING DOWN DEMOCRACY: Goals, Strategies, and Methods of Modern Authoritarians who have little interest in the democratizing mission is already under way in the countries that have been traditionally espoused by mainstream parties with deep dubbed “illiberal democracies.” roots in the global struggles of the 20th century. The new mood is reflected in the democracies foreign poli- With states across the spectrum shifting in an cies, many of which are aimed more at seeking national authoritarian direction, there is not much comfort in advantage than at promoting the common good. the fact that repressive regimes are fundamentally more unstable and vulnerable to breakdowns than The rise of populist politics in democracies could give democracies. Major authoritarian governments may modern authoritarianism a new lease on life. While it collapse in the face of economic crises, popular may no longer be as useful for entrenched autocracies protests, or succession battles. But in the absence of to mask their nature with an illusion of pluralism, free- international pressure and support, it seems doubt- ly elected leaders with authoritarian ambitions can ful that they would be replaced by aspiring democra- use similar techniques to replace genuine democratic cies. Indeed, they could be succeeded by something institutions with hollowed-out fagades. This process even worse. 1. Tyler Roylance, “The Twilight of ‘Modern Authoritarianism,” Freedom at Issue, October 29, 2014, https://freedomhouse.org/blog/ twilight-modern-authoritarianism. 2. Daniel Lansberg-Rodriguez, “In Venezuela, Political Prisoners as Pawns,” New York Times, July 1, 2016, http://www.nytimes. com/2016/07/02/opinion/in-venezuela-political-prisoners-as-pawns.html. 3. Albaraa Abdullah, “Egypt Fills Its Prisons, But Don’t Worry, It'll Make More,” Al-Monitor, February 3, 2016, http://www.al-monitor. com/pulse/originals/2016/02/egypt-authorities-prison-free-speech-sisi.html. 4. “Bahrain,” in Annual Re