Technology
Civil Society Resilience Against Autocratic Co-optation
Quick fact
In many authoritarian regimes, governments create thousands of fake NGOs (GONGOs) to absorb funding and suppress genuine civic activism, a tactic known as 'astroturfing' that co-opts civil society from within.
Why this is interesting
Why do some independent organizations survive under authoritarian rule while others collapse into government puppets? The answer lies in the hidden dynamics of co-optation and resistance.