Larry Diamond Knihy

From a leading scholar of democracy comes a passionate call to action against the rising authoritarianism threatening global liberty. Larry Diamond has dedicated his life to securing democracy's future by understanding its past and advising dissidents worldwide. He has observed with concern the rise of illiberal rulers in Hungary, Poland, Turkey, and the Philippines, as well as the assertiveness of China and Russia. The election of Trump marked a turning point, as the retreat from freedom spread from the margins of democracy to its core. The core argument emphasizes that the defense and advancement of democratic ideals depend on U.S. global leadership. If the U.S. fails to reclaim its role as a cornerstone of democracy, the current authoritarian surge could escalate, enabling figures like Putin and Xi to transform the twenty-first century into a period of despotism. We stand at a crucial juncture in history, balancing between a new era of tyranny and a potential democratic revival. Free governments can uphold their values, and free citizens can assert their rights. The text offers concrete, informed strategies to combat polarization, diminish the influence of money in politics, and ensure every vote counts. In 2019, the ultimate defense of freedom remains "We the people."

The last quarter of the twentieth century was marked by two dramatic political trends that altered many of the world's regimes: the global resurgence of democracy and the collapse of communism. Was the process that brought down communism in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union fundamentally different from the process that gave birth to new democracies in other regions of the world? Were the transitions away from communism mostly like or mostly unlike the transitions away from authoritarianism that took place elsewhere? Is the challenge of building and consolidating democracy under postcommunist conditions unique, or can one apply lessons learned from other new democracies? The essays collected in this volume explore these questions, while tracing how the countries of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union have fared in the decade following the fall of communism.

The book concludes with a hopeful view of the prospects for a fourth wave of global democratization.