Politics & Government
Authoritarian Resilience through Managed Elections and Co-optation
Quick fact
Some of the most durable dictatorships, like Singapore's People's Action Party, have held regular elections for decades without ever losing power, using them as a tool for co-opting opposition and distributing spoils.
Why this is interesting
You might think that holding elections is the first step toward democracy. But many authoritarian regimes run elections that actually make them stronger—how does that work?