Autocratic Regimes Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What is a primary reason for the durability of rebel regimes?

  • Frequent replacements of military leadership
  • Isolation from competing insurgent groups
  • Delegation of power during armed struggles (correct)
  • Independence from military support

What dilemma do dictators face regarding military control?

  • Sharing power always leads to stronger regimes
  • Generals may take over if power is shared (correct)
  • Keeping all military power leads to less stability
  • They can never trust their generals

Which type of regime is more vulnerable to the guardianship dilemma?

  • Rebel Regimes
  • Civilian Regimes (correct)
  • Coup Regimes
  • Military Regimes

According to Boix and Svolik, which factor is crucial for the stability of limited authoritarian government?

<p>Shared power through institutional arrangements (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a key characteristic of rebel regimes after they gain power?

<p>Established power-sharing agreements (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What typically occurs with the appointment of a minister of defence in rebel regimes?

<p>It indicates a lack of trust in military leaders (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why are institutions important in dictatorships according to Boix and Svolik?

<p>They help to maximize resource extraction (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of coup regimes?

<p>Often rely on quick mobilization (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What can happen when dictators accumulate too much power?

<p>Institutions can become less effective (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is one effect of establishing legislatures in a dictatorship?

<p>Decrease in the number of coups (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary motivation of authoritarian rulers compared to democratic leaders?

<p>To pursue goals with fewer constraints (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the role of oligarchs in an autocratic regime like Putin's?

<p>They drive economic growth while being kept checked by the leader. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a key aspect of the selectorate theory regarding political survival in autocracies?

<p>Political power is better assured by depending on a few individuals. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is one challenge facing authoritarian regimes in understanding their population?

<p>Accurate information about public preferences is hard to gather. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do autocratic leaders typically ensure loyalty from members of their winning coalition?

<p>Through private rents that create strong loyalty. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the selectorate framework, which group is essential for an incumbent leader to maintain power?

<p>The winning coalition (W) (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What happens to dictators when the size of their winning coalition (W) increases?

<p>Maintaining loyalty becomes more challenging. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between the size of the winning coalition (W) and public goods provision?

<p>Public goods provision initially decreases with larger W but later increases. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What type of information can pose a challenge to a dictator's authority?

<p>Accurate representation of public preferences (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the context of autocracies, what does the Guardianship Dilemma refer to?

<p>The difficulty of a leader protecting their position while maintaining support. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a common outcome of private rents being distributed to coalition members?

<p>They reinforce loyalty and compliance among coalition members. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the implication for welfare when the winning coalition (W) increases?

<p>Public goods and taxes can better compensate for decreased private rents. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What do autocratic rulers primarily use censorship and propaganda for?

<p>To control population behavior and preferences. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a method that authoritarian leaders use to prevent rebellion?

<p>Restricting information dissemination about public sentiments. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Guardianship Dilemma

The risk that a dictator, by sharing military power to secure loyalty, creates an opportunity for generals to seize control.

Rebel Regimes

Regimes that emerge from prolonged armed struggles against an existing government.

Power Delegation in Rebel Regimes

The process of distributing power to subordinates during armed conflicts, often for improved battlefield performance and loyalty.

Testing Allegiances in Rebel Regimes

The potential for rebel leaders to assess the reliability and commitment of their allies during prolonged armed struggles.

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Power Sharing and Stability in Rebel Regimes

The creation of strong military alliances within a rebel regime, reducing the likelihood of internal conflicts and coups later on.

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Minister of Defense in Rebel Regimes

The appointment of a minister of defense, who is often a trusted ally, to oversee military affairs. Rebel regimes tend to maintain this position for stability.

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Limited Authoritarian Government

A type of authoritarian government that limits the ruler's power through institutions and power-sharing arrangements.

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Power-Sharing Institutions

Institutions, like legislatures, designed to constrain authoritarian leaders and ensure the stability of the regime.

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Credible Threat of Rebellion in Limited Authoritarian Governments 

The threat of rebellion by allies if a dictator breaks promises or exceeds their power, incentivizing them to uphold agreements.

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Legislatures and Resource Extraction

The argument that dictators are more likely to establish and maintain legislatures when they need allies to extract resources from the economy. These legislatures provide a platform for power-sharing and governance.

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Winning Coalition (W)

The group of individuals whose support is essential for a leader to stay in power.

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Selectorate (S)

The subset of the population who could potentially join the leader's support base.

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Incumbent

The leader of an autocratic state.

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Challenger

A potential challenger seeking to replace the incumbent leader.

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Members of the Winning Coalition

Individuals in the Winning Coalition who gain special privileges and benefits from the leader.

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Members of the Selectorate

Individuals in the Selectorate who don't belong to the Winning Coalition but could potentially become part of it.

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Private Rents

Rewards or advantages given by the leader to members of the Winning Coalition.

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Incumbent's Power and Influence

The leader's ability to use resources and power to maintain their position and influence.

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The Winning Coalition's Size

The size of the Winning Coalition influences the leader's choices regarding taxation and spending.

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The Guardianship Dilemma

The balance between providing private rents to the Winning Coalition and benefits to the general population.

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Role of Private Rents in Loyalty

Private rents are a key factor in maintaining loyalty within the Winning Coalition.

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Impact of Small Winning Coalition

When the Winning Coalition is small, the leader can use more resources for private rents to maintain loyalty, potentially hindering economic growth.

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Impact of Large Winning Coalition

As the Winning Coalition grows, the cost of private rents increases, making it more beneficial to invest in public goods and lower taxes to win support.

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Winning Coalition Size and Welfare

The relationship between the size of the Winning Coalition and overall welfare is complex and can vary depending on the leader's policies.

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Information Control and Censorship

Autocrats need to strike a balance between understanding public preferences and controlling information to prevent dissent and maintain control.

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Study Notes

Autocratic Regimes: Power, Compliance, and Stability

  • Autocratic leaders face challenges in maintaining power, requiring compliance from allies (oligarchs) and the broader population.
  • Data collection for autocratic regimes is difficult due to limited access and potential accuracy issues, making empirical work challenging.
  • Autocrats have less constraint than democratic leaders, using extensive means to achieve objectives (e.g., censorship, propaganda, coercion).
  • Key issues for autocrats involve managing their close allies to prevent challenges to their authority and ensuring public compliance.
  • Dictators sometimes use publicized arrests and potential legal actions to maintain control over oligarchs.
  • They use various methods to control information and population behavior, striking a balance between understanding preferences and restricting their expression.

Selectorate Theory

  • Selectorate theory models the pursuit and maintenance of political power in autocracies.
  • Power is often concentrated in a small group (winning coalition) enabling the leader to retain power more easily.
  • Dictatorships rely on a selectorate to support the leader.
  • The dictator’s objective is to have a winning coalition as small as possible. A smaller coalition allows more discretion over resource allocation, i.e., allowing larger private rents to winning coalition members.
  • A larger winning coalition is a higher cost and has lower taxes and less private rents.

The Winning Coalition

  • The winning coalition (W) is a critical subset of the selectorate whose support is necessary for the leader to stay in power.
  • The leader receives loyalty by offering private rents (gifts, benefits, concessions).
  • The size of W influences tax rates and public good provision. A smaller W can lead to higher taxes and less public goods.

Regime Stability and Welfare

  • Regime stability in autocracies is tied to the size of the winning coalition (W).
  • Smaller W allows higher private rents to coalition members (strong loyalty), but could harm economic welfare.
  • Larger W results in lower private rents, promoting a larger but less loyal coalition. This can increase economic growth and welfare.

The Guardianship Dilemma

  • Strong militaries are necessary for regimes to consolidate power and suppress rebellions.
  • Dictators often share power with high-ranking military officials, creating a potential for coups.
  • Rebel regimes often outlast others because of power sharing in advance of regime consolidation.
  • This dilemma is more pronounced in civilian regimes compared to coup or rebel regimes

Limited Authoritarianism

  • Autocracies with institutional power-sharing mechanisms are often more durable and prone to peaceful transitions of power.
  • The fear of allies rebelling can curb a leader’s ability to take advantage of their position.
  • Effective institutions limit the leader’s power, therefore, improving regime stability.

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