The Dictator's Learning Curve: Inside the Global Battle for Democracy [Paperback]

In this riveting anatomy of authoritarianism, acclaimed journalist William Dobson takes us inside the battle between dictators and those who would challenge their rule. Recent history has seen an incredible moment in the war between dictators and democracy—with waves of protests sweeping Syria and Yemen, and despots falling in Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya. But the Arab Spring is only the latest front in a global battle between freedom and repression, a battle that, until recently, dictators have been winning hands-down. The problem is that today’s authoritarians are not like the frozen-in-time, ready-to-crack regimes of Burma and North Korea. They are ever-morphing, technologically savvy, and internationally connected, and have replaced more brutal forms of intimidation with subtle coercion.The Dictator’s Learning Curveexplains this historic moment and provides crucial insight into the fight for democracy.

Praise for William J. Dobson'sThe Dictator's Learning Curve:

“Intelligent and absorbing. . . . Mr. Dobson’s book, with luck, will find its way into the hands of people who aspire to be free.”
—The New York Times

“An essential perspective on a crucial struggle. . . . Dobson is that rare thinker who combines a gift for storytelling with an understanding of how the world works.”
—Fareed Zakaria 
 
“[Dobson] writes with exemplary clarity and a sharp eye for color. . . . Timely, authoritative, and as readable as a novel, this is one of the season’s most resonant books—not least because it ends on a note of guarded hope for the future.”
—Prospect

“A brilliant and original analysis of the nature of modern authoritarianism.”
—Anne Applebaum, author ofIron Curtain, winner of the Pulitzer Prize

“[A] deft, incisive book. . . . The mix of perspectives results inlÓ.