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We're in a new era of naked power politics, says Yascha Mounk, author of The Great Experiment
Confidence in democracy is declining in the West at the same time authoritarian leaders like Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping have become more transparent about their demands and lack of respect for democracy, Johns Hopkins University professor Yascha Mounk tells Ian Bremmer on GZERO World.
Mounk, author of a new book, "The Great Experiment: Why Diverse Democracies Fall Apart and How They Can Endure," explains why authoritarians are on the rise. The new era of naked power politics is illustrated by the way Putin is transforming Russia into a repressive regime, no longer caring what people think about his ambitions. Putin believes the West is decadent while he views himself as a strong leader with traditional values.
Mounk cites tribalism and extreme partisanship as the biggest threats for democracy in the 21st century. In his view, democracy in diverse nations has particular challenges – for example, racism and disparities in wealth in the US -- but Mounk does offer some reasons for hope for the future.
Authoritarians having a moment
After Russia's invasion of Ukraine, much of the world may be running away from Vladimir Putin right now — but they’re not running toward the US, Ian Bremmer explains on GZERO World.
In fact, the greatest export from Russia and China is something that can’t be stopped by sanctions: authoritarianism and disillusionment with Western political systems.
From Belarus to Nicaragua to the Philippines, dictators are having a moment. Jair Bolsonaro and Donald Trump have promoted myths of election fraud to undermine confidence in government.
Add that to mounting inequality, disinformation on social media, and a growing belief that elected officials don’t care about you, the average voter.
While the war in Ukraine has unified the West, the liberal world order still has a long way to go to prevent the decline of democracy.
Watch the GZERO World episode: Authoritarians gone wild
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Authoritarians gone wild
Political scientist Yascha Mounk says we're in a new era of naked power politics.
That means Vladimir Putin doesn’t care what you think anymore about his blind ambition. And he really doesn’t have to because authoritarians like him are on the rise.
On GZERO World, Ian Bremmer talks to Mounk, who explains why confidence in democracy is declining in the West at the same time authoritarian leaders like Putin and Xi Jinping have become more honest about their demands and lack of respect for democracy.
Mounk also offers some reasons for hope in America's experiment with democracy in a diverse nation. He identifies tribalism and extreme partisanship as the biggest threats for democracy in the 21st century.
Also: a look at Ukrainians in the tech industry, who are still coding away even as Russian bombs fall on their cities.
Click here to watch the video.
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