*Spin Dictators: The Changing Face of Tyranny in the 21st Century*, Daniel Treisman & Sergei Guriev
Spin Dictators:
The Changing Face of Tyranny in the 21st Century
By Sergei Guriev and Daniel Treisman
Guriev says: “In Spin Dictators: The Changing Face of Tyranny in the 21st Century, Daniel Treisman and I show that nondemocratic regimes are not what they used to be. Whereas the tyrants of the twentieth century ruled through violence, fear, and ideology, most modern autocrats control their citizens by distorting information and simulating democratic procedures. Like spin doctors in democracies, they distort facts to win support. Beyond showing how such dictators emerge and operate, we examine the unique threats they pose and offer recommendations about how democracies should respond.”
Guriev says: “In Spin Dictators: The Changing Face of Tyranny in the 21st Century, Daniel Treisman and I show that nondemocratic regimes are not what they used to be. Whereas the tyrants of the twentieth century ruled through violence, fear, and ideology, most modern autocrats control their citizens by distorting information and simulating democratic procedures. Like spin doctors in democracies, they distort facts to win support. Beyond showing how such dictators emerge and operate, we examine the unique threats they pose and offer recommendations about how democracies should respond.”