by Moises Naim
First published 2022
Modern autocrats around the world are dismantling the checks and balances that protect democratic societies. Moisés Naím examines how today's authoritarians use populism, polarization, and post-truth tactics to consolidate power. He reveals their methods: targeting democratic institutions, turning politics into fan loyalty, weaponizing misinformation, and scapegoating opponents. Naím shows how corporate power intersects with political control, how anti-politics movements pave roads to populism, and how criminal governments operate like mafia states. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated these trends as autocrats exploited crisis conditions. The book identifies five critical battles democratic societies must win to preserve freedom. Naím provides a framework for understanding how power operates in the current global landscape and offers strategies for those who have lost their political home in polarized times.
Genres: political-science, politics, non-fiction, 21st-century, current-affairs
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: corruption, power-dynamics
Setting: Global
Period: 21st Century
322 pages · Paperback · Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial