Dictators and Dictatorships

"It is becoming increasingly clear that many of the world's autocracies are not going to succumb to a new wave of democratization anytime soon. To understand how and why authoritarianism persists, Dictators and Dictatorships offers a thorough and thoughtful look into the politics of autocratic survival strategies." - Lisa Blaydes, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Stanford University. Dictators and Dictatorships provides an admirable synthesis and extension of the growing literature on the politics of authoritarian regimes. In clear and accessible language, Ezrow and Frantz examine both classic and cutting-edge scholarship on dictatorships. They argue that elite politics in dictatorships have important consequences for a host of outcomes, and apply this insight to questions such as the causes of authoritarianism, regime longevity, leader survival, economic growth, and international conflict. The arguments are illustrated with countless real-world examples from around the world. Combining a thorough discussion of the existing literature with new insights, this book will not only be an excellent resource for students, but also for scholars looking for an introduction to the literature on the causes, consequences, and future of authoritarianism. - Jessica L. Weeks, Department of Government, Cornell University "Dictators and Dictatorships provides an excellent overview of authoritarian regimes in the contemporary era. Frantz and Ezrow adopt the extremely useful typology of authoritarian regimes developed by Barbara Geddes to provide a comprehensive treatment of politics in single-party, military, and personalist authoritarian regimes. This book ranges widely to explain the origins and breakdown of these regimes and their distinctive domestic and foreign policies. The broad outlines of the argument are brought to life by illuminating stories about dozens of authoritarian regimes from every part of the globe. I can think of few better introductions to this important topic for upper division courses in comparative politics." -Mark Peceny, Professor and Chair, Department of Political Science, University of New Mexico

Erica Frantz (Ph.D., UCLA, 2008) is a political scientist specializing in authoritarian politics. Her research interests interesect comparative politics and international relations, with regional expertise in Latin America and the Middle East. She is currently a political analyst at the Institute for Physical Sciences. Natasha Ezrow is Lecturer at the University of Essex, UK, where she serves as the Director of the International Development Studies Program. She also the coordinator of the UNISCA Program at the University of Amsterdam and Scholar in Residence at Texas A&M University.

Introduction; Chapter 1: Authoritarian Politics: Typologies; Chapter 2: The Causes of Dictatorship; Chapter 3: The Survival of Authoritarian Regimes: Strategies and Trends; Chapter 4: The Survival of Authoritarian Leaders: Strategies and Trends; Chapter 5: Coups; Chapter 6: Dictatorships and Political Gridlock; Chapter 7: Dictatorships and the Economy; Chapter 8: Dictatorships and International Conflict; Chapter 9: Military Dictatorships in Latin America and Beyond; Chapter 10: Single-party Dictatorships in Eastern Europe, Asia, and Beyond; Chapter 11: Personalist Dictatorships in Sub-Saharan Africa and Beyond; Chapter 12: Monarchies in the Middle East and Beyond; Chapter 13: Hybrid Dictatorships; Conclusion; Bibliography.