Autocracy, Inc.
The concept of megalomaniacs cooperating sounds like a contradiction in terms, but it is exactly what Anne Applebaum suggests in her new book. The New York Times says that the scariest thing dictators are doing now is working together.
Applebaum uses the term Autocracy, Inc. to describe a group of autocratic regimes, maybe Russia, China, Iran, who work together “not like a bloc but rather like an agglomeration of companies, bound not by ideology but rather by a ruthless, single-minded determination to preserve their personal wealth and power”.
There are similarities and differences with the traditional autocracy format. Oppressing the populace and maintaining the wealth of corrupt elites stays the same, obvs. What’s new is the diversity of regimes involved, from Shia theocracies to communist autarkies, and the cross-border cooperation: “Nowadays, autocracies are run not by one bad guy but by sophisticated networks relying upon kleptocratic financial structures,” says Applebaum.
One funny-not-funny example of an unlikely alliance is that of Venezuela and Iran. Both countries shared a desire to evade western economic sanctions and oppress their people. Their non-traditional exchange of goods and services runs something along the lines of Iran supplying the necessary technical expertise to assist with Venezuela’s domestic oppression systems and Venezuela providing money-laundering services for Hezbollah in return. The arrangement is mutually beneficial.
The evolving shape of autocracy would be something we could discuss in class, and whether we agree with Applebaum’s thesis.
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