Spin Dictators traces how leaders such as Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew and Peru's Alberto Fujimori pioneered less violent, more covert, and more effective methods of monopolizing power. The book reveals why most of today's authoritarians are spin dictators--and how they differ from the remaining "fear dictators" such as Kim Jong-un and Bashar al-Assad, as well as from masters of high-tech repression like Xi Jinping.
Political decentralization is often hailed as a means to enhance governance and economic outcomes by bringing government closer to citizens and fostering local engagement. However, this book critically analyzes the foundational arguments supporting this belief, employing logical analysis and formal modeling. Through various examples and a review of empirical studies, it reveals that many claims about decentralization rely on vague intuitions and lack robust evidence, leading to inconclusive and conflicting findings in practice.
A balanced look at Russia's attempts to build capitalism on the ruins of Soviet central planning.