Journal of Democracy

How to Compete in Unfair Elections | Journal of Democracy Opposition movements often boycott rigged polls rather than risk legitimizing an autocrat. It is usually a mistake. Here is the playbook for how one opposition seized the advantage.

Facing an unfair election? Here's how to compete:

Why Democracy Needs to Go Digital | Journal of Democracy Faith in democracy is fading, as citizens increasingly find self-rule slow, tired, and opaque. It’s time for democratic institutions to lean into the tech revolution. Digital governance isn’t a gadget…

"In a time when institutions struggle with a loss of legitimacy and corruption thrives in complicated environments, using technology for governance may be our best way forward."

Polarization versus Democracy | Journal of Democracy Why do ordinary people vote to return to office undemocratic incumbents? New survey experiments in several countries suggest that many voters are willing to put their partisan interests above…

Why do ordinary people vote to return to office undemocratic incumbents? New survey experiments in several countries suggest that many voters are willing to put their partisan interests above democratic principles.

Cameroon’s Election Casts a Long Shadow | Journal of Democracy Cameroonians just reelected the 92-year-old Paul Biya in an election that voters rightly view with suspicion. The tensions under the surface don’t bode well for the country or its people.

Cameroonians protest for freedom and democracy after exposing electoral manipulation by Paul Biya, the world's oldest sitting president.

Why Bitcoin Is Freedom Money | Journal of Democracy Today, governments can see who buys what, who pays whom, and who donates to which cause. But they cannot easily trace or confiscate Bitcoin. The digital currency offers a lifeline to democratic…

Bitcoin can go places that the dollar can't. Learn why Bitcoin is freedom money:

Will Maduro’s Autocratic Allies Desert Him? | Journal of Democracy Nicolás Maduro’s regime has long relied on support from China, Cuba, Russia, and other authoritarians to stay afloat. But now that the United States is stepping up the pressure…

"The U.S. naval buildup in the Caribbean has turned what was once a rhetorical standoff into a material confrontation. This moment will reveal which of Maduro’s partners see Venezuela as a strategic outpost worth defending and which will quietly step back."

Why Democracy Needs to Go Digital | Journal of Democracy Faith in democracy is fading, as citizens increasingly find self-rule slow, tired, and opaque. It’s time for democratic institutions to lean into the tech revolution. Digital governance isn’t a gadget…

Faith in democracy is fading, as citizens increasingly find self-rule slow, tired, and opaque. It’s time for democratic institutions to lean into the tech revolution. Digital governance isn’t a gadget; it’s democracy’s lifeline.

How AI Threatens Democracy | Journal of Democracy Generative AI can flood the media, internet, and even personal correspondence, sowing confusion for voters and government officials alike. If we fail to act, mounting mistrust will polarize our…

Generative AI can flood the media, internet, and even personal correspondence, sowing confusion for voters and government officials alike. If we fail to act, mounting mistrust will polarize our societies and tear at our institutions.

The UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar are spreading their influence across borders. A new dangerous chapter between the Gulf monarchies and the West has begun.

muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/a...

Why Democracy Needs to Go Digital | Journal of Democracy Faith in democracy is fading, as citizens increasingly find self-rule slow, tired, and opaque. It’s time for democratic institutions to lean into the tech revolution. Digital governance isn’t a gadget…

What is digital governance?🖥️👩‍💻

"It refers to the wider system in which governments use digital technologies. This includes data systems, digital IDs, real-time dashboards, and civic tech platforms."

"Transnational repression shapes how activists, journalists, and regular people living abroad express themselves, associate, and assemble...carving pathways to suppress dissent and keep regimes in power, even when they are faced with mobilization outside their borders."

muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/a...

Why Democracy Needs to Go Digital | Journal of Democracy Faith in democracy is fading, as citizens increasingly find self-rule slow, tired, and opaque. It’s time for democratic institutions to lean into the tech revolution. Digital governance isn’t a gadget…

"Digital governance provides a chance...to reshape who holds power and how. When designed with transparency, inclusivity, and ethics in mind, digital systems can cut down on corruption, empower citizens, and restore trust in democratic institutions."

Why Democracy Needs to Go Digital | Journal of Democracy Faith in democracy is fading, as citizens increasingly find self-rule slow, tired, and opaque. It’s time for democratic institutions to lean into the tech revolution. Digital governance isn’t a gadget…

Faith in democracy is fading, as citizens increasingly find self-rule slow, tired, and opaque. It’s time for democratic institutions to lean into the tech revolution. Digital governance isn’t a gadget; it’s democracy’s lifeline.

Cameroon’s Election Casts a Long Shadow | Journal of Democracy Cameroonians just reelected the 92-year-old Paul Biya in an election that voters rightly view with suspicion. The tensions under the surface don’t bode well for the country or its people.

In Cameroon, "one of the few silver linings of this election was the emergence of a determined electorate and civil society that, despite open threats of arrest and prosecution from cabinet ministers, courageously found ways to assert themselves...to monitor the vote."

Cameroon’s Election Casts a Long Shadow | Journal of Democracy Cameroonians just reelected the 92-year-old Paul Biya in an election that voters rightly view with suspicion. The tensions under the surface don’t bode well for the country or its people.

Cameroonians just reelected the 92-year-old Paul Biya in an election that voters rightly view with suspicion. The tensions under the surface don’t bode well for the country or its people.

Has Tanzania Reached Its Breaking Point? | Journal of Democracy President Hassan promised Tanzanians freedom, transparency, and reform. Instead, she has delivered repression, violence, and arrests as she bars anyone who dares challenge her.

"Whatever the immediate future holds, the protests unfolding in Tanzania are the latest signs that Tanzanian demands to control their own futures will not be easily repressed. "

The Golden Age of Transnational Repression | Journal of Democracy Authoritarian regimes are targeting exiles and diaspora communities in more places than ever before. Activists, journalists, and regular people living abroad must watch their backs…

"This is the golden age of transnational repression. More states now have more tools to target more exiles and diaspora communities in more countries for fewer resources than ever before."

Will Maduro’s Autocratic Allies Desert Him? | Journal of Democracy Nicolás Maduro’s regime has long relied on support from China, Cuba, Russia, and other authoritarians to stay afloat. But now that the United States is stepping up the pressure…

Nicolás Maduro’s regime has long relied on support from China, Cuba, Russia, and other authoritarians to stay afloat. But now that the United States is stepping up the pressure, will his fellow autocrats leave him high and dry?

Will Maduro’s Autocratic Allies Desert Him? | Journal of Democracy Nicolás Maduro’s regime has long relied on support from China, Cuba, Russia, and other authoritarians to stay afloat. But now that the United States is stepping up the pressure…

"The Maduro regime’s autocratic partners possess, to varying degrees, the ability to help that regime more directly, but none appear willing to transform Venezuela into a genuine proxy conflict with the United States."

Cameroon’s Election Casts a Long Shadow | Journal of Democracy Cameroonians just reelected the 92-year-old Paul Biya in an election that voters rightly view with suspicion. The tensions under the surface don’t bode well for the country or its people.

"The country’s notorious central prison in the capital city of Yaoundé is filled with political leaders and activists who were arrested while advocating for rights and liberties that fall squarely within the definition of regular political activities."

Will Maduro’s Autocratic Allies Desert Him? | Journal of Democracy Nicolás Maduro’s regime has long relied on support from China, Cuba, Russia, and other authoritarians to stay afloat. But now that the United States is stepping up the pressure…

Nicolás Maduro’s regime has long relied on support from China, Cuba, Russia, and other authoritarians to stay afloat. But now that the United States is stepping up the pressure, will his fellow autocrats leave him high and dry?

How AI Threatens Democracy | Journal of Democracy Generative AI can flood the media, internet, and even personal correspondence, sowing confusion for voters and government officials alike. If we fail to act, mounting mistrust will polarize our…

"As objective reality recedes even further from the media discourse, those voters who do not tune out altogether will likely begin to rely even more heavily on...partisanship, which will only further exacerbate polarization and stress on democratic institutions."

How Venezuela Became a Gangster State | Journal of Democracy Nicolás Maduro is a mafia boss, not a president, and the Venezuelan government is now a criminal enterprise with the power of a state. It poses a threat to democracies everywhere.

"Maduro is the mafia boss in this story. He has succeeded in merging political power with criminal power into a single apparatus. He colonized the Venezuelan state and has bent it to serve international organized crime, destroying his country’s democracy along the way."

Has Tanzania Reached Its Breaking Point? | Journal of Democracy President Hassan promised Tanzanians freedom, transparency, and reform. Instead, she has delivered repression, violence, and arrests as she bars anyone who dares challenge her.

President Hassan sought to strongarm the country’s election, meting out repression, violence, and arrests to anyone who dares challenge her. Tanzanians have seen enough.

Cameroon’s Election Casts a Long Shadow | Journal of Democracy Cameroonians just reelected the 92-year-old Paul Biya in an election that voters rightly view with suspicion. The tensions under the surface don’t bode well for the country or its people.

"Although a sizeable number of Cameroon’s eight-million-plus registered voters cast ballots peacefully on election day, the vote-tabulation process gave rise to suspicions that vote totals had been tampered with or manipulated to favor Biya."

Cameroon’s Election Casts a Long Shadow | Journal of Democracy Cameroonians just reelected the 92-year-old Paul Biya in an election that voters rightly view with suspicion. The tensions under the surface don’t bode well for the country or its people.

Cameroonians just reelected the 92-year-old Paul Biya in an election that voters rightly view with suspicion. The tensions under the surface don’t bode well for the country or its people.

Will Maduro’s Autocratic Allies Desert Him? | Journal of Democracy Nicolás Maduro’s regime has long relied on support from China, Cuba, Russia, and other authoritarians to stay afloat. But now that the United States is stepping up the pressure…

"The Maduro-Chavista regime’s endurance has raised new questions: When pressure intensifies, will Maduro’s autocratic backers deepen their commitment or retreat into caution?"

Will Maduro’s Autocratic Allies Desert Him? | Journal of Democracy Nicolás Maduro’s regime has long relied on support from China, Cuba, Russia, and other authoritarians to stay afloat. But now that the United States is stepping up the pressure…

Nicolás Maduro’s regime has long relied on support from China, Cuba, Russia, and other authoritarians to stay afloat. But now that the United States is stepping up the pressure, will his fellow autocrats leave him high and dry?

What Democracy Does . . . And Does Not Do | Journal of Democracy People are losing faith in democracy’s ability to deliver social progress. But are democracies better than autocracies at promoting economic growth, alleviating poverty, and creating healthier…

Democracies are proven to outperform autocracies in these five key areas:

The Golden Age of Transnational Repression | Journal of Democracy Authoritarian regimes are targeting exiles and diaspora communities in more places than ever before. Activists, journalists, and regular people living abroad must watch their backs…

Authoritarian regimes are targeting exiles and diaspora communities in more places than ever before. Activists, journalists, and regular people living abroad must watch their backs, because these governments now have the power to suppress dissent even outside their borders.