QUESTION Pedro Rubbioli Amorim, Campinas, SP
Currently, 49 countries in the world live in a dictatorial regime – according to a survey by Freedom House, an American NGO that annually monitors democracies around the world.
The NGO’s 2018 report points to a global «democratic crisis» – since, for the 12th year in a row, Freedom House found a «negative balance»: the number of countries that suffered from shifts to authoritarianism was greater than that of nations that have had positive evolutions in their democratic models.
Turkey and Ukraine were cited as examples where democratic freedoms, which had begun to stabilize, were once again disrupted. The summary of the report can be viewed on the map below (the interactive version is available at this link).
But after all, what do these studies mean when they talk about “dictatorial regimes”?
Also called “autocracies”, these nations do not allow periodic popular voting to choose rulers, nor freedom of expression. In some of them, governments claim to be democratic and even organize elections. However, opposition candidates are always threatened and end up giving up or dying “mysteriously” shortly before the election. Or else the results are beyond dubious, with several accusations of fraud.
Below, some examples of dictatorships in force in the world.
1. CUBA
Since 1959
Model communist state
Dictator Miguel Díaz-Canel (since 2018)
Cuba lives under a single party regime, the Communist Party. Even so, voting there only in municipalities with candidates authorized by the party. Election for the office of president no way. The island lives in this model since the Revolution of 1959, when Fidel Castro took power. There is no freedom of expression and the press cannot criticize the government
2. RUSSIA
Since 1991
Model Federative Socialist Republic
Dictator Vladimir Putin (since 2000)
Since Vladimir Putin took power in Russia in 2000, he has gradually reined in press freedom, begun appointing governors without elections, and harassed (or killed) his opponents. Alternating between president and prime minister, Putin has been in power for 18 years. In the last elections there were accusations of fraud, but he was elected anyway
3. CHINA
Since 1949
Model communist state
Dictator Xi Jinping (since 2013)
China is considered a classic dictatorship. In addition to the rigid control of the State over politics, censorship runs rampant: from the press to the choice of films that can enter theaters. There is only the Communist Party and elections are held within it, as party members are the only ones who can run for office and vote.
4. EGYPT
Since 2013
Model Undefined
Dictator Abdel Fattah Al Sisi (since 2014)
Egypt had its first direct election in 2012, after the fall of dictator Hosni Mubarak, who had been in power since 1981. But the elected president, Mohamed Mursi, was short-lived. The country suffered a military coup with popular support and went through a period of “temporary dictatorship”. Still holds the Constitution suspended
5. OMAN
Since 1749
Model Sultanate
Dictator Qaboos bin Said Al Said (since 1970)
It is difficult to say which is the oldest dictatorship in the world, since there are several countries that were never really democratic. However, the small Oman, in the Middle East, draws attention for being governed by the same family for over 260 years. In charge there is Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said. There is no Constitution and most of the rules are based on Islam
6. NORTH KOREA
Since 1948
Model communist state
Dictator Kim Jong Un (since 2011)
North Korea has the most authoritarian regime in the world. Power is controlled by the Communist Party and the Armed Forces. As the economy is in shambles, to survive, the country receives help from China, Japan and South Korea. The penultimate dictator of the country, Kim Il-sung, who died in 1994, was proclaimed the “Eternal President of the Republic”. His successors had to settle for the title of Head of State
HOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN DICTATORSHIP
It’s simple, but don’t try it at home.
– No giving freedom to the press. Everyone should speak well of the government
– Avoid having more than one party, so other opinions will not come to power
– Have children to replace you in case you die or get old and sick
– Choose a group of friends to be the only ones entitled to vote in the elections. Let them know they should vote for you if they don’t already know
– Have a good team of professional torturers and assassins
SOURCES Book Contemporary Dictatorshipsby Maurício Santoro, CIA and websites freedomhouse.org It is systemicpeace.org
CONSULTANCY Mauricio Santoro, political scientist, professor and human rights adviser at Amnesty International