Comparative politics exam

Postmodern propaganda

Uses subtle, PR style, social media, to make the appearance of the leader being liked and turns them into a celebrity. The digital environment changes how organizations spread propaganda and accelerates its reach.

Fear dictatorships

Dictators rule through fear and violence, heavy ideology, threatening propaganda, cult-like leadership, people obey when they’re scared

Examples of fear dictatorships

North Korea, Syria, and Saddam Hussein's Iraq.

Spin dictatorships

Dictators rule through image and perception management, flexible appeals, not ideology, celebrity-style leader, entertainment and media spin, people comply because they’re persuaded, manipulated, distracted, or misled, not terrified

Examples of spin dictatorships

Russia, Singapore, Kazakhstan, Venezuela, Ecuador

Otto Warmbier case

The case of an American college student who was tortured and detained in North Korea and later died after being returned to the U.S. in a comatose state.

Spinspeak

A language used by dictators to manipulate and disguise their agenda as security or political reform. 1. Image of competence, not fear. 2. No coherent ideology; instead, they use flexible, shifting appeals. 3. Celebrity-style leadership, not cult of personality. 4. Borrow credibility from experts, influencers or institutions. 5. Weaponize entertainment (shows, pop culture, humor). 6. Heavy use of framing and interpretation to shape how events are understood.

Figure 3.1 in Guriev & Treisman

A figure that shows fear dictators use more violent rhetoric while spin dictators look more like democratic leaders using less violent rhetoric.

Role of ideology in spin dictatorships

Ideology in spin dictatorships is often manipulated to create a facade of legitimacy and democratic appeal while masking authoritarian practices. (they have no ideology they just disguise popular sentiments)

Media in spin dictatorships

Dictators use subtle propaganda in the media to shape images of themselves as good.

How do concepts like exit, voice, and loyalty, collective action, liberalization, and modernization apply to how spin dictators use propaganda

exit- spin dictators manipulate citizens into thinking there’s no exit or they don’t want to leave

voice- spin dictators give citizens a little bit of a voice but manipulate it to match their agenda and crush their opponents subtly

loyalty- spin dictators manipulate people into liking them, making them loyal

collective action- spin dictators discourage collective action by denouncing their opponents and staging reforms to make people grateful for them

liberalization- spin dictators present as a democracy to the outside world when really they are not

modernization- spin dictators use propaganda through the media to make people like them as well as pretend they are more modern to make other countries like them

Spin dictators and the use of foreign ties

Spin dictators collect foreign endorsements by manipulating foreign leaders to get approval from other countries to look better and more democratic. They also get help from abroad in arresting dissidents for nonpolitical reason.

Spin dictators and higher education

They want highly educated people to work in their jobs as well as people coming to their country to study to promote their image.

Popova and Shevel (2024) article about how and why Ukraine and Russia are different and providing some background about the war in Ukraine

Explains why Russia and Ukraine diverged because of different systems of government, institutions, and more voting in Ukraine. Citizens of Ukraine protested against authoritarianism, leading to Ukraine becoming less influenced by Russia.

How Russia fits with the Guriev and Treisman explanation of “global pillage”

Russia's actions align with the "global pillage" framework by exploiting resources and engaging in state-sanctioned corruption, prioritizing elite interests over public welfare. They use the resources they gained only for their benefit, not the citizens.

3 major periods in recent Ukrainian political history

The three major periods are the post-communist transition (Ukraine became independent, Budapest Memorandum- Ukraine gave up all nuclear weapons in exchange for security), the Orange Revolution (early 2000s, protests against the Ukrainian president, Ukraine became more democratic), and the late 2000s—Present (annex of Crimea and Donbas, president Zelensky elected, and Russia’s fullscale invasion.)

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Ukraine president elected in 2019, from central Ukraine used to be a comedian

Local democracy in Ukraine

Ukraine held local elections in 2020 that had high voter turnout despite the pandemic, suggesting strong local democracy and accountability and that Ukraine is a very democratic country.

Major periods in recent Russian political history

1990s Post-Communist Transition (President Yeltsin), Early 2000s Putin’s Rise (Putin gives himself power), 2008-2012 (Putin leaves office and president Medvedev is elected), 2012-Present (Putin comes back as president and reforms the constitution resetting the term limits so he could serve again)

Main argument being made by Popova and Shevel

Ukraine became more democratic because its citizens pushed back against authoritarian regimes, while Russia became less democratic because its citizens didn’t.

Alexei Navalny, Brittany Griner, and Evan Gershkovich

People who have gone against Putin’s regime and been arrested by the Russian government. Alexei Navalny- a Russian citizen who criticized the government and ran for Moscow mayor, and was imprisoned by the govt and died. Brittany Griner- American WNBA player arrested for drug charges and sentenced to 9 years in Russian prison, but was freed in a prisoner swap in 2022. Evan Gershkovich- Reporter for the Wall Street Journal covering Russia who was arrested and accused of espionage by the Russian government with no evidence and sentenced to 14 years, but was released in a prisoner exchange in 2024.

Russian interference in Ukrainian politics in the 1990s and 2000s

Russia interfered in Ukraines elections, supporting/funding pro Russia candidates. Also Russia did economic and energy blackmailing to Ukraine.

Russia’s war against Ukraine in 2014 which escalated with the full-scale invasion in 2022

Russia started a war in 2014 by annexing Crimea and Donbas and then fully invaded Ukraine in 2022. Ukraine remains a democracy, helping it stay in the war, while Russia is a dictatorship that is increasingly relying on fear to control its citizens. (Russia invaded Ukraine because its spin dictator tactics werent working)

Global trends in LGBTQ+ rights and in pride events

Pride events are mainly held in western countries. Western countries have more LGBTQ rights and protections, but in many countries in Africa and Asia it is a crime/looked down upon.

LGBTQ Criminalization in Africa

Many African countries impose severe penalties for same-sex acts, such as imprisonment or the death penalty in some. LGBTQ issues in Africa stem from laws made when countries were still colonies, religious conservatism, or populist politics.

Countries with the death penalty for same-sex acts

Afghanistan, Brunei, Mauritania, parts of Nigeria, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, United Arab Emirates, Uganda, and Yemen all impose the death penalty for same sex acts.

Gay propaganda laws in Russia

In 2013 they banned “gay propaganda” to be shown to minors, in 2022 the law was expanded to forbid “sharing positive or neutral information” about LGBTQ+ people and banned public displays of being gay with heavy fines for violations. These laws were used to strengthen nationalism by blaming gayness on the west

Gay acts in Uganda

Uganda adopted the death penalty for "aggravated homosexuality.” in 2023, but in 2015 they held pride demonstrations. Shows how rights can regress.

What is “gender ideology” and why are some groups opposed to it?

Gender ideology is a fake term created by opponents of LGBTQ+ rights, women’s rights, and reproductive rights to frame these rights as bad/evil/threatens traditional values

Anti-gender campaigns in Europe

Right wing parties in Europe use “anti gender” messages to organize voters into opposing LGBTQ/womens/reproductive rights under the defense of the “common people”.

Liberal welfare State

Benefits that primarily support low-income populations and emphasize markets and individual over the state (Ex. US, Canada, Australia)

 Conservative/Corporatist welfare State

Some benefits are provided by the state (healthcare, pensions, education) and focus on traditional family structures that don’t support working women or childcare (Ex. Austria, France, Germany, and Italy)

Social Democratic welfare State

Everyone gets benefits regardless of if you need it or not, people don’t rely on employment for healthcare, strong focus on equality, state takes major responsibility for children, elderly, and vulnerable people (Ex. Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland)

Guns vs. butter example and different kinds of “butter”

War is like guns (defense, conflict, security) and butter is like basic needs (food, welfare, social protection) and a country needs both to thrive

Welfare state

The government takes responsibility for guaranteeing a basic level of well-being for its citizens, normally healthcare education, pensions, unemployment benefits, housing support, family/child benefits, and support for vulnerable populations.

Adam Smith

Believed in limited state intervention except for public education and capitalism reduces economic inequality. Thought markets were the solution to economic inequality.

Karl Marx

Believed in communism and that markets caused economic inequality.

Otto von Bismarck

The first chancellor of Germany who started the first major welfare program, which included health insurance, accident insurance, and retirement benefits to ensure that there was not a communist rebellion. (made retirement age 70 when life expectancy was lower than that)

Why spending doesn’t tell us everything about the welfare state

Two states can spend the same % of GDP but distribute benefits very differently

Welfare nationalism

The reluctance of citizens in a country to share welfare benefits with immigrants.

5 factors that shape “deservingness” of migrants

1. Ethno-cultural distance vs. closeness (if you’re closer to where you are origanilly from you will be more accepted)

2. Security concerns (people see immagrants as dangerous & governments exaggerate it)

3. Need/vulnerability (people judge migrants depending on if they look poor or more well off)

4. Autonomy (people judge based off how self reliant migrants are economically)

5. Fiscal burden/economic contribution (how much they contribute to the economy/taxes, do they cost more than theyre worth)

These factors conribute to welfare nationalism

Example of Qatar where welfare state spending is low as a percentage of GDP

Qatar, a very rich country, only gives its citizens welfare, not migrants even when they make up most of the population. This makes their GDP look low

Traditional measures of economic development

GDP per capita is economic output per person, Poverty rate, income inequality, employment rate,  HDI (Human Development Index)

Remittances

Money sent home by migrants to family/friends. Direct household-to-household transfers. Bypasses government systems.

Importance of studying remittances

They are important as they make up a lot of the money people in impoverished countries have because people cant rely on the government for money.

Lebanese case from 2019 to the present

The Lebanese pound lost all of its value, and the economy crashed causing everyone to lose their money so people had to rely on remittances.

Remittances and political participation

People who have high shame over getting remittances are politically inactive, while there is little to no effect on people who have pride for getting them.

Implications of remittances for democracy

People who get remittances do not rely on the government or elections so instead of voting they just contact local officials to get what they want.

Why spin dictatorships have spread over time

Modernization forced dictators to adapt so they can no longer just oppress people and must use spin tactics to hide their real agendas

The modernization cocktail

The factors of modernization that are mixed together to make modernization possible: Economic changes, Higher education expansion, value changes, communication technology changes, Globalization (economic and informational), and Rise of Liberal International Order.

Economic globalization

The economy became more interconnected, meaning dictatorships have to connect with democracies but in order to do so they must look better.

Informational globalization

News networks got bigger and less government controlled

How media changed around the world

from one news source to many people, to many sources to many many people. Dictators couldn’t censor media anymore as easily

Examples from Andrei Sakharov and former leader of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew

Educated elites become dissidents like Andrei Sakharov from the Soviet Union who was a nuclear physicist that became dissident and became a Nobel Peace Prize winner.

Why higher education is risky for dictatorships

Higher educated people are harder to manipulate and control by dictators

Chapter 8 of spin dictators

Spin dictatorships thrive in modern environments, but modernization will eventually undermine them over time (when people get smart enough and the idea of democracy is stronger so it will win out eventually)

How Guriev and Treisman argue we should work against the spread of spin dictatorships

1. treat spin dictators as enemies not partners

2. be aware of spin dictators and their manipulation

3. welcome modernization (economic growth + education)

4. strengthen western democracies

5. strengthen global organizations (UN, EU)

6. support democracy, democratically

7. make democracies look good so that people dont turn to authoritarianism