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  • Hodder & Stoughton
  • Hodder & Stoughton

Defeating the Dictators: How Democracy Can Prevail in the Age of the Strongman

Charles Dunst

8 Reviews

Rated 0

Prose: non-fiction, Political structures: democracy, Political structures: totalitarianism & dictatorsh, Political control & freedoms

How we strengthen democracy in the face of rising autocracy

' Charles Dunst's deeply researched, timely and powerful book offers a blueprint for how democracies should fight back.' - Sir Kim Darroch

'Remarkable. A thoughtful and perceptive book.' - Rt. Hon. Jeremy Hunt, MP

The world is currently experiencing the lowest levels of democracy we have seen in over thirty years. Autocracy is on the rise, and while the cost of autocracy seems evident, it nevertheless remains an attractive option to many.

While leaders like Viktor Orban disrupt democratic foundations from within, autocrats like Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin do so from abroad, eroding democratic institutions and values and imperilling democracies that appear increasingly fragile. There are even those who, disillusioned with the current institutions in place, increasingly think authoritarianism can deliver them a better life than democracy has or could.

They're wrong. Autocracy is not the solution - better democracy is. But we have to make the case for it. We have to combat institutional rot by learning from one another, and, at times, from our rivals. And we have to get our own houses in order. Only then can we effectively stand up for democratic values around the world and defeat the dictators.

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Praise for Defeating the Dictators: How Democracy Can Prevail in the Age of the Strongman

  • Remarkable. A thoughtful and perceptive book

  • Defeating the Dictators is a rare book: a deeply-researched and engaging work that both details the challenges democracies face, and offers us clear and persuasive solutions. Dunst's writing is as sharp as his argument is necessary. Anyone who believes in democracy - in the United States or anywhere else - should read his book

  • America's Founders understood that our republic would require constant nurturing. Charles Dunst's excellent book tells us how we can defeat the dictators, strengthen democracies, and build a better future for generations to come. People everywhere who care about freedom should read this book and implement what the author recommends

  • No one knows the world like Dunst. He's lived the good and bad in other nations, and knows how to get our democracies back on track. His how-to manual on fighting autocracy and strengthening democracy is indispensable reading

  • In Defeating the Dictators, Dunst convincingly shows that preserving and advancing liberalism abroad is possible only if democracies get their own houses in order. He marshals practical evidence from across the globe to offer a clear roadmap for fixing key challenges at home and abroad. In this turbulent era of rising strongmen, what could be more important?

  • A smart, sweeping, and well-written book that makes the case for rebuilding democracy at home and defeating authoritarianism abroad. It is an important contribution and an urgent call-to-action for democracies everywhere.

  • At a time in world history when too many countries veer towards autocracy, it is heartening to read that democracies still produce the happiest, most creative, and longest-living citizens. Not only must Americans and democrats everywhere make this case abroad, but we must be confident that our messy democracies will yield the best possible future for our own citizens. In Defeating the Dictators, Dunst gives us a clear and incisive roadmap for securing ever-expanding self-governance for humankind. It gave me hope for the future of democracy, and will do the same for you, too.

  • A decade ago, democracies were confident that we could prevail against autocratic challengers simply by being democracies. But as Charles Dunst argues in his powerful new book, this confidence is a dangerous illusion. Democracies can stand up to autocracy only if we are ready to face our own vulnerabilities and the strength of our opponents. Defeating the Dictators is a great place to start - essential reading.

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Charles Dunst

Charles Dunst is deputy director of research and analytics at The Asia Group, adjunct fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and a contributing editor of American Purpose, Francis Fukuyama's magazine. His reportage and analysis have appeared in the New York Times, the Atlantic, the Washington Post and Foreign Policy, among other outlets. A former foreign correspondent, he has reported from countries including Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Israel and the Palestinian territories, Hungary, Romania, and Andorra. He holds degrees from the London School of Economics and Hamilton College. A native New Yorker, he lives in Virginia.

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