Author Archives: DemDigest

Russia struggles with legacy of 1917 – the ‘first color revolution’

     

Red flag-draped rallies in Moscow marked the 100th anniversary of the Russian Revolution on Tuesday. But despite the demonstrations, the crimes of the past and faded memories have made some… Read more »

Egypt sees first open challenge to Sisi’s authoritarian rule

     

A prominent Egyptian human rights lawyer stepped forward on Monday as a candidate in next year’s presidential election, emerging as the first open challenger to President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s authoritarian rule… Read more »

Southeast Asia’s ’emboldened’ strongmen look to China in setback to democracy

     

Chinese leaders have long sought to present themselves as equals to American presidents. Xi Jinping has wanted something more: a special relationship that sets China apart, as the other great… Read more »

Reverse-engineering Russia’s ‘neo-Bolshevik’ disinformation

     

  It is no coincidence that today’s neo-Bolsheviks have all created their own “alternative media,” starting online and moving into the mainstream, specializing in disinformation, hate campaigns, racist jokes and… Read more »

Paradise Papers highlight kleptocracy’s corrosive impact on democracy

     

  A huge leak of financial documents revealed by a group of about 100 media organizations on Sunday provided deep insights into some of the mechanisms used by top politicians and celebrities… Read more »

Democratic renewal must address shifts in West’s political culture

     

Political scientists have long contended that culture matters to the formation and consolidation of democracy. But efforts to renew democracy and challenge authoritarianism will need to pay closer attention to… Read more »

Russia’s ‘strategic deception’ aims to undermine liberal democratic order

     

  America’s top social-media companies — or more precisely, their lawyers — testified before Congress this week, two things became clear. First, the problem is much greater than previously admitted…. Read more »

Disinformation vs. democracy: authoritarians outspending U.S.

     

Authoritarian regimes like Russia and China are outspending the United States in the realm of soft power, Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) told the National Democratic Institute’s annual Democracy Dinner at… Read more »

North Korea’s regime concedes its vulnerability to soft power

     

North Korea’s regime has admitted its vulnerability to soft power “for the first time,” according to a prominent defector. An editorial in an official newspaper today conceded that information flows… Read more »