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Autocracy Inc.
Autocracy Inc.: The Dictators Who Want to Run the World | Anne Applebaum
5 posts | 5 read | 6 to read
From the Pulitzer-prize winning, New York Times bestselling author, an alarming account of how autocracies work together to undermine the democratic world, and how we should organize to defeat them. We think we know what an autocratic state looks like: There is an all-powerful leader at the top. He controls the police. The police threaten the people with violence. There are evil collaborators, and maybe some brave dissidents. But in the 21st century, that bears little resemblance to reality. Nowadays, autocracies are underpinned not by one dictator, but by sophisticated networks composed of kleptocratic financial structures, surveillance technologies, and professional propagandists, all of which operate across multiple regimes, from China to Russia to Iran. Corrupt companies in one country do business with corrupt companies in another. The police in one country can arm and train the police in another, and propagandists share resources and themes, pounding home the same messages about the weakness of democracy and the evil of America. International condemnation and economic sanctions cannot move the autocrats. Even popular opposition movements, from Venezuela to Hong Kong to Moscow, don't stand a chance. The members of Autocracy, Inc, aren't linked by a unifying ideology, like communism, but rather a common desire for power, wealth, and impunity. In this urgent treatise, which evokes George Kennan's essay calling for "containment" of the Soviet Union, Anne Applebaum calls for the democracies to fundamentally reorient their policies to fight a new kind of threat.
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Chelsea.Poole
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Wow, it‘s scary out there! (And in here [US] now too.)
An examination and call-out of the way corrupt governments operate in Russia, China, North Korea. The way they suppress information to their benefit and spread disinformation about their enemies to their citizens. Money is laundered in the US and other parts of the world to support horrible crimes. Donald Trump admires these disturbing people. How far will we fall in his second term?

Mimi28 I don‘t know but I have not prayed this much since my mom had cancer. I demand a re-count!! lol 3w
AnnCrystal 😢🥺🧐🤔😟. 3w
BarbaraBB Super scary 3w
Sace Money laundering: I feel like a crazy person but I feel like it‘s everywhere. Like seriously my community is too small for the number of car washes that we have 😂. 3w
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DogMomIrene
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#SundayFunday

Looking forward to reading this one about how various countries crank out disinformation to undermine democratic nations. Loved her book Nuclear War, so I have high expectations for this one.

BookmarkTavern Oof. Sounds like an important and frustrating read! Thanks for posting! 2mo
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Mpcacher
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This is one scary book. The author clearly explains how autocrats run and hold onto power in their countries (Russia, Iran, Venezuela, China, etc.) and how they make and keep their money. While it it gives us some hope at fighting them, it requires both acknowledgement about their power and a lot of changes to our financial systems. It is not a surprise that Trump admires many of them, praising one (Viktor Orban) in the debate last night. 4/5!

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Olivia306
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This is one hell of a timely book. It defines the modern autocratic regimes, clearly giving examples of how autocratic governments rule these days, using money to support each other, corrupt democratic societies, while also raising disinformation online and in media to a whole new level. Clear and concise, it‘s a book that concisely reflects today‘s reality and offers pragmatic solutions for these issues. Great read!

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Megabooks
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If you want a quick primer about how money fuels autocracy and how autocratic regimes make their money, look no further. Applebaum drops lots of info concisely with great flow and organization. At under 5 hours on audio, it‘s definitely worth your time!!

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