New York City
Ali Lemer
In recent decades a new breed of media-savvy strongmen has been redesigning authoritarian rule for a more sophisticated, globally connected world. Rulers such as Vladimir Putin, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Viktor Orbán control their citizens by distorting information and simulating democratic procedures. Uncovering this new brand of authoritarianism, the authors explain the rise of such “spin dictators,” describing how they emerge and operate, the new threats they pose, and how democracies should respond.