MANILA, Philippines – Pulitzer Prize-winning author Anne Applebaum, author of the book Twilight of Democracy and staff writer at The Atlantic, prescribed one potential solution to the global democratic crisis that threatens to put fascism at the helm in the next few years: a clear, consistent effort of collaboration amongst the world’s democracy experts, activists, and leaders. 

It would take a similar kind of team effort to push back against “Autocracy Inc.,” a global network of authoritarian leaders working together to support their own dictatorship or that of a friendly one through various means such as business deals, economic cooperation, or technological support, among others, she said at the 11th Global Assembly of the World Movement for Democracy. 

The situation in Belarus is one such example. Applebaum explained, while Belarus is an international pariah in theory, with sanctions preventing Belarusian planes from landing in Europe and goods from being sold in US or the EU, the country has found support from those forming “Autocracy Inc.” 

Applebaum said: “Belarus remains the site of one of China’s largest overseas development projects. Iran has expanded its relationship with Belarus over the past year. Cuban officials have expressed their solidarity with Lukashenko, the Belarusian dictator, at the UN. And of course Russia offers markets, cross-border investments, and police support, while Belarus, in turn, offers Russia a staging ground for its war on Ukraine.” 

Through such cooperation, a dictator can lessen the blow of sanctions or any such actions denouncing them. 

Autocracy Inc.’s “members” are not bonded by a common ideology, but rather by its leaders’ goals of enrichment and desire to stay in power or expand their power. They find a common enemy as well in democracy and the language of democracy. 

Applebaum explained: “Nowadays, autocracies are run not by one bad guy, but by sophisticated networks composed of kleptocratic financial structures, security services (military, police, paramilitary groups, surveillance), and professional propagandists. The members of these networks are connected not only within a given country, but among many countries.

“The corrupt, state-controlled companies in one dictatorship do business with corrupt, state-controlled companies in another. The police in one country can arm, equip, and train the police in another.

“The propagandists share resources – the troll farms that promote one dictator’s propaganda can also be used to promote the propaganda of another – and themes, pounding home the same messages about the weakness of democracy and the evil of America.”

In a sideline interview with Rappler, Applebaum broadly discussed the entry of Russian and Chinese influence in the Philippines during the Duterte administration.

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She explained that the Chinese, like the Russians, look for corrupt autocrats with whom they can work. In a dictatorship, they are able to pay bribes more easily, and they don’t want to work in liberal democracies where there are checks and balances, and where people may watch closely contracts being signed, and where the money flows. 

Fighting back through collaboration

Autocracy Inc., as Applebaum described it, was quite coordinated in its efforts, guided by the common goal of maintaining or expanding power, and personal enrichment. While she acknowledged that there were indeed efforts in collaboration already – not least of which was the democratic assembly wherein she delivered her speech – Applebaum said those on the side of democracy had to intensify its efforts in teaming up.

“Here’s an example: many people in this room work on kleptocracy and corruption, and many are very good at exposing theft in high places, in their own countries. What if these projects could be internationalized, with work shared and amplified in many countries?

“What if investigators focused not only on their own countries, but on the connections between countries? What if we could find ways of telling that story in a manner that reaches more people, on the Youtube channels and social media accounts that we all share? 

“Many in this room also have had the experience of lobbying their governments about reform of the financial system to minimize corruption. What if that lobbying was coordinated internationally, by people from dozens of countries, across many time zones, to focus on international kleptocracy? Maybe we could get better laws passed, maybe we could reach more people” Applebaum explained. 

In the Rappler interview, Applebaum added that autocrats teach people to be apathetic. They want people to stay out of politics, and just go home, play music, write books, or do their jobs. 

It is the democracy activists’ job then to be creative and active in combating this apathy created by dictators to impress upon people that there is nothing that they can change. And to combat what has now become Autocracy Inc., what activists must create aside from what they do in their own countries, is to create international links, and among others, lobby together for democratic changes or work together to expose cross-border links.

Applebaum ended on a hopeful note, saying that perhaps Autocracy Inc. itself might be aware of what a concerted effort from the democratic front may bring to the table.

“Perhaps the autocrats are working together because they no longer have confidence in their ability to fight their own democracy movements alone. Perhaps the autocracies are becoming less tolerant because they realize their opponents have better arguments, that people listen to them and that the desire for political freedom will never go away.

“Perhaps the confrontations between autocrats and their populations are growing harsher precisely because democratic movements are becoming more articulate and better organized,” Applebaum said. – Rappler.com