Autocracy Promotion: A Concerted Campaign

Abstract

Are powerful autocratic governments pursuing a concerted effort to spread authoritarianism abroad? What would motivate authoritarians to promote autocracy abroad? Are these motivations limited to Russia and China or common to all authoritarian government? This thesis argues that authoritarian governments with sufficient resources to do so are undertaking a concerted, albeit secretive, campaign of autocracy promotion in foreign authoritarian and semi-authoritarian countries. Autocracy promotion is a distinct set of activities and, as such, is not parallel to democracy promotion. It is vital that American policymakers recognize that autocracy promotion is occurring and must demand a policy response.