The Revenge of Power
- 320 pages
- 12 hours of reading
Moisés Naím's The Revenge of Power offers an urgent and original perspective on the future of democracy, focusing on the critical battle for freedom against the rising tide of autocracy worldwide. Following his exploration of power-diluting forces in The End of Power, Naím examines the trends and behaviors that contribute to the concentration of power. He highlights the interplay of three key elements—populism, polarization, and post-truths—historical phenomena that today's autocrats exploit to undermine democratic institutions in alarming ways. While the nature of power remains unchanged, the methods of acquiring and wielding it have evolved dramatically. Naím connects global events and political strategies, revealing a stealthy transformation in power dynamics across diverse contexts. Drawing on extensive data and insights from social science research, he identifies recurring strategies used to consolidate power, regardless of differing political, economic, and social environments. Naím poses critical questions about the tactics employed by autocrats and the reasons behind the concentration of power in certain areas while it fragments in others. Ultimately, the outcomes of these struggles will shape whether our future leans toward autocracy or democracy, hinging on the resilience of democratic systems against autocratic threats.








