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Wednesday, December 3, 2025
TopicAuthoritarianism

Topic: Authoritarianism

China, Rwanda, North Korea — How authoritarian rulers manage their international image

I counted 33 authoritarian states that collectively paid PR and public affairs firms hundreds of millions of dollars in 2018 and 2019 to manipulate their image.

Pakistan to Thailand — There is a war on those in exile. And the internet has made it worse

The power of social media is making authoritarian governments silence critics like Jamal Khashoggi — no matter which country they are exiled in.

Erdogan’s Turkey is on Pakistan-Indonesia track. Mixing military greed and radical Islam

By changing Hagia Sophia into a mosque, Recep Erdogan is overturning the brute modernity imposed under Mustafa Kemal Ataturk's rule.

India to Hungary, Covid-19 will make frightened people trade freedom for life

Democracies are in danger during the Covid-19 crisis as leaders like Victor Orban and Ilham Aliyev are going to execute power grabs.

China is controlling social media – by allowing a bit of dissent

Shortly after the initial demonstrations in Hong Kong, the Chinese government distributed vague guidelines to digital platforms about what they should 'censor'.

With Jharkhand, India is telling Modi it wants a ‘majboor sarkaar’, not ‘majboot sarkaar’

Through people’s movements and the judiciary, India has kept majoritarian regimes in check — be it under Indira Gandhi or Rajiv Gandhi. Are state elections a new addition?

Authoritarian streak among Indians on the rise and it’s helping BJP’s hard Right turn

Even globally, Indians demonstrate a lower commitment to democratic principles than people in other major countries, as per opinion polls.

The 10-point checklist on how to be an autocrat — and here’s how Modi fits the bill

Most would-be autocratic leaders exploit existing tensions in societies to solidify their support. Modi's use of religious-based nationalism is an example.

Plato was right. Democracy always creates tyrannical leaders

In democratic countries like Turkey, UK, Hungary, Brazil and US, anti-elite demagogues are riding a wave of populism fuelled by nationalist pride.

Unlike American CEOs, India Inc. under BJP is becoming timid & regressive

An excerpt from "Reconciliation" edited by Harsh Mander, Natasha Badhwar and John Dayal, explores the nexus between corporate houses and the Indian government during hate attacks. 

On Camera

The politics of air pollution—how they are fooling the citizens

Greens have a sizeable support in the Western countries with clean air and blue skies, but not in India, where poisonous air, water and soil kill millions.

India picks up non-sanctioned Russian oil as discounts widen

The purchases confirm a cautious return to Russian oil, though overall spot purchases remain limited. Trade talks between US and India are ongoing.

India to commission new squadron of submarine-hunting Romeo choppers in Goa later this month

The helicopters produced by Lockheed Martin are known as ‘submarine hunters’. India ordered 24 of these aircraft in 2020 to replace the Sea King helicopters. 15 have been delivered till date.

Gaali cricket: Bavuma stands tall, India’s Test ego cut to size

The India-South Africa series-defining fact is the catastrophic decline of Indian red ball cricket where a visiting team can mock us with the 'grovel' word.