Forget his excuses. Russia’s autocrat doesn’t worry about NATO. What terrifies him is the prospect of a flourishing Ukrainian 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 movements operating in the most repressive places.
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, more educated, and more peaceful societies? On all counts, the answer is yes.
"Citizens who see a wide gulf between their own ethics and those of their society express far lower trust in elections and institutions and greater openness to leaders who promise to “clean up” politics, even if it means breaking democratic rules."
Does a Moral Gap Explain Democracy’s Crisis?
When people think their political system violates the moral rules they live by, they lose faith in democracy. Some withdraw from politics. Others turn to anyone who promises to “clean things up.”
Tibet is one of the most heavily policed regions in the world. Beijing has spent seven decades trying to assimilate the Tibetan people through force. It will never succeed.
If Plato had a Substack, it would be overlooked. The old system of gatekeeping was replaced with one that rewards engagement over truth. We need to protect the ideas an algorithm can’t measure.
"Self-government depends on a citizenry that can distinguish between credible and noncredible claims about the world. That capacity...is cultivated by institutions that maintain standards of evidence and argument...that help people understand whom to trust and why."
Newspaper publisher Jimmy Lai was just sentenced to twenty years in prison. His persecution offers a window into how freedom has been undone in Hong Kong. It should be a warning to us all.
The country’s civil society is reemerging, opposition leaders are returning, and activists are taking to the streets. Even more, Washington has the leverage to bring about real change. Will it seize the moment?
The Chinese Communist Party is attempting to rename the Tibetan people’s homeland, part of a wider effort to eradicate Tibet’s cultural identity. For Tibet, it’s more than just a name.
Today, Tibetan Uprising Day, marks 67 years since Tibetans rose up in protest against Chinese occupation on March 10, 1959.
Read why China's efforts to erase Tibetan identity will never succeed:
China has spent decades trying to remake Tibet through #surveillance, language suppression, religious control, & coercion. But as Khedroob Thondup writes, #Tibetan identity endures — and that is the contradiction Beijing cannot seem to solve:
The government spent billions preparing to host the 2022 World Cup. Never mind the abusive labor practices and human rights violations. It’s betting that your love of the “beautiful game” will make you more fond of this tiny Gulf state, too.
The “crisis” of democracy is a crisis of representation. New parties, some of which are populist in troublingly illiberal ways, are arising from this moment. The danger that they pose is not that they are antidemocratic, but that they are antiliberal.
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.
If Plato had a Substack, it would be overlooked. The old system of gatekeeping was replaced with one that rewards engagement over truth. We need to protect the ideas an algorithm can’t measure.
The country’s civil society is reemerging, opposition leaders are returning, and activists are taking to the streets. Even more, Washington has the leverage to bring about real change. Will it seize the moment?
Forget his excuses. Russia’s autocrat doesn’t worry about NATO. What terrifies him is the prospect of a flourishing Ukrainian democracy.
"Jimmy Lai deserves to be lauded and celebrated for his years of support for the solemn human rights commitments made in the Joint Declaration and the Basic Law, and for his willingness to remain in Hong Kong despite the dangers he faced."
Newspaper publisher Jimmy Lai was just sentenced to twenty years in prison. His persecution offers a window into how freedom has been undone in Hong Kong. It should be a warning to us all.
"For Beijing, the Dalai Lama is a political obstacle. For Tibetans, he is the embodiment of their nation. His global stature ensures that Tibet remains on the international agenda, despite China’s efforts to isolate the issue."
The Trump administration is ratcheting up the pressure, and the island dictatorship is in deep crisis. But what is the plan for picking up the pieces?
The case of Hungary shows how autocrats can rig elections legally, using legislative majorities to change the law and neutralize the opposition at every turn, no matter what strategy they adopt.
"China’s leaders often speak as though history bends inevitably toward assimilation. But history suggests the opposite. Nations denied self-expression do not fade; they deepen their sense of purpose. Cultures under pressure do not disappear; they endure."
Nepal's election yesterday marked a turning point for the country.
"In Nepal, Gen-Z activists have used...protests as an opportunity to push for political-party reforms that would retire old elites and improve youth representation in parliament."
"Cuba may indeed be at its most consequential turning point in decades. But history suggests that how change comes matters as much as that it comes at all."
"...Dismantlement of [Venezuela's] regime requires a careful balancing act from the United States: It should be fast enough to exploit leverage that may not last, yet slow enough to prevent a Chavista backlash against Rodríguez that could demand deeper American involvement."
Venezuela’s civil society is reemerging, opposition leaders are returning, and activists are taking to the streets. Even more, Washington has the leverage to bring about real change. Will it seize the moment?
