Spin Dictators: The Changing Face of Tyranny in the 21st Century.

• Author: Muhammad, Patricia M.

Sergei Guriev and Daniel Treisman, Spin Dictators: The Changing Face of Tyranny in the 21st Century, Princeton University Press, 2022, 360 pps. Paperback, $19.95.

Dictatorships are often viewed as the nemesis of market growth, the expansion of the free world, and a hindrance to globalization. However, this is the inherent political oxymoron of a dictatorship: to distinguish itself with its overreaching rule but being part of a political system of a balanced government. One of the most glaring misperceptions of this form of government is the subtle dress of democracy in acceptable Western nations that are adorned with constitutions, bicameral national government and free press, yet have evolved into agents and provocateurs of political and religious rhetoric just as dangerously as any other form of government. This demonstrates that the absolute dictatorship could not exist solely as a one-ruler political vehicle, but as part of an inter-related and interdependent mechanism that still mimics democratic governance. Sergei Guriev, Professor of Economics at the Department of Economics at Sciences Po, Paris and Daniel Treisman, Professor of Political Science at University of California, Los Angeles, provide a dual definition of dictator through the philosophical lens of Aristotle. They then outline the hierarchy under this sort of governmental rule as: 1) political leader (dictator), 2) the informed (authoritarian), and 3) the general public (democratic). Based on this structure, Guriev and Treisman assert that spin dictators can filter into networks that control political information, appear to be democratically inclined but control political opposition by using established systems to oppress the general public yet still gain their trust to become popular. Thus, the dictator has accomplished the feat of a democratic facade but with the societal reality of a dictatorship.

The authors present a recurring and seemingly absolute approach that rulers have the most power while citizens are uninformed sheep. Depending on the regime, one can easily assume that these rulers, even dictators are heavily controlled and manipulated by their own supporters and political campaign investors. Despite this conundrum, the authors proffer a more balanced approach in their critique. They then explore instances in which dictators use accessible, practical methods to control the opposition. The challengers to their partially psychological methodologies are used not...