"When people ask me what I make of Donald Trump and the state of American democracy, I tell them that alarm bells are ringing everywhere. The similarities between what is happening today and what I witnessed in Vladimir Putin's Russia are frightening: the creation of an oligarchy, the proclamation of a one-party system, and, perhaps most troubling, a promised crackdown on free speech. We are seeing Donald Trump and those around him pick targets to go after, and make them obey the administration's wishes."
"Kasparov: From The Atlantic, this is Autocracy in America. I'm Garry Kasparov. My guest today is Michael McFaul, the U.S. ambassador to Russia in the years following Putin's return to the presidency. He saw an autocracy take hold before his eyes, and he has a warning for those in America who seem ready to capitulate to the Trump administration. Kasparov: Mike, I want to thank you for joining the show."
Parallels exist between contemporary American political developments and the evolution of Vladimir Putin's Russia, including the fusion of political power with wealth into an oligarchy. A one-party or dominant-party system is emerging alongside efforts to suppress dissent and constrain free speech. Political leaders and their associates are identifying and pressuring targets to enforce compliance with administration directives. Observers who experienced Russia's autocratization warn that such tactics can erode democratic institutions and encourage capitulation by political opponents and the public. Vigilance, defense of free speech, and resistance to institutional capture are necessary to prevent democratic backsliding.
Read at The Atlantic
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