The Two Logics of Autocratic Rule

This book provides an innovative theoretical framework for studying and comparing autocratic rule across the globe.

Johannes Gerschewski (Author)

9781009199414, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 13 April 2023

300 pages
23.5 x 15.8 x 2.3 cm, 0.59 kg

'Can any single theoretical framework make sense of the diverse authoritarian regimes we witness across Asia and the world today, from North Korea's ruling family to Singapore's ruling party to Myanmar's ruling military? Johannes Gerschewski succeeds in just such an effort, convincingly showing that diverse autocracies face the same fundamental challenges and can counter them in one of two ways: either by making everything political, or by making everything apolitical. The Two Logics of Autocratic Rule is a genuine triumph.' Dan Slater, University of Michigan

In The Two Logics of Autocratic Rule, Gerschewski argues that all autocracies must fulfil three conditions to survive: the co-optation of key elites into their inner sanctum, the repression of potential dissent, and popular legitimation. Yet, how these conditions complement each other depends on alternative logics: over-politicization and de-politicization. While the former aims at mobilizing people via inflating a friend-foe distinction, the latter renders the people passive and apathetic, relying instead on performance-driven forms of legitimation. Gerschewski supports this two-logics theory with the empirical analysis of forty-five autocratic regime episodes in East Asia since the end of World War II. In simultaneously synthesizing and extending existing research on non-democracies, this book proposes an innovative way to understand autocratic rule that goes beyond the classic distinction between totalitarian and authoritarian regimes. It will be of interest to scholars and students of comparative politics, political theory, and East Asian politics.

Part I. Introduction: Part II. Theory: 1. Explaining autocratic stability
2. Legitimation
3. Repression
4. Co-optation
5. The two logics of autocratic rule
Part III. Empirical Test: 6. East Asia as a testing field
7. Empirical explorations
8. A systematic test
Part IV. Conclusion.

Subject Areas: Comparative politics [JPB], Politics & government [JP], Social & political philosophy [HPS]