Bruce Bueno de Mesquita

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MundoAsia

La economía bruta de China ha crecido hasta convertirse en la segunda del mundo y millones de chinos han salido de la miseria. Xi Jinping atribuye el crecimiento económico de su país al «majestuoso poder de la construcción de la modernización al estilo chino» y propone el modelo de China como sustituto de las ideas occidentales de democracia y competencia de libre mercado. La visión de Xi es una idea de estilo confuciano en la que los resultados económicos del país y el bienestar de la población dependen de la rectitud moral de un dictador benigno y no de las leyes y las instituciones...…  Seguir leyendo »

A rally against the annexation of Crimea in Odessa, March 30, 2014. (Yevgeny Volokin / Courtesy Reuters)

Europa, , ,

The turmoil unfolding in Ukraine actually provides the people of Ukraine with an opportunity to make their country a better place. Historically, any one of three conditions -- a new, transitional government; dire economic challenges; and the threat of a mass uprising -- has made a shift to a freer, more democratic, transparent, and accountable government attractive to citizens, leaders, and their core supporters. Ukraine is in the unusual situation of meeting all three conditions at once. But to turn opportunity into reality and foster a genuinely free, democratic, and prosperous society, the country’s leaders, as well as the United States and the European Union, need to engage in democratization’s best practices.…  Seguir leyendo »

Internacional

Why do certain dictators survive while others fall? Throughout history, downtrodden citizens have tried to throw off the yoke of their oppressors, but revolutions, like those sweeping through the Arab world, are rare.

Despotic rulers stay in power by rewarding a small group of loyal supporters, often composed of key military officers, senior civil servants and family members or clansmen. A central responsibility of these loyalists is to suppress opposition to the regime. But they only carry out this messy, unpleasant task if they are well rewarded. Autocrats therefore need to ensure a continuing flow of benefits to their cronies.

If the dictator’s backers refuse to suppress mass uprisings or if they defect to a rival, then he is in real trouble.…  Seguir leyendo »