Autocracy, Inc

Anne Applebaum is one of the wisest, best informed and most trenchant commentators on global politics. This book, which should be compulsory reading for every G7 head of government and foreign minister, sets out in disturbing detail the assault overt and covert by autocrats everywhere on liberal democracies and open societies. She demonstrates how we should not only fight for liberal values against Russia, China and all their cronies, but also live up to them ourselves – Chris Patten, Former British Governor of Hong KongAnne Applebaum’s far-sighted book reveals an international network of autocrats who seek to subvert democracy in what has become a decentralized global struggle, with shifting alliances and no monolithic forces of good and evil. But it is also a practical manual packed with specific proposals to combat autocracy, in all its nefarious guises. Now it’s up to us—the proponents of democracy – to step up and put these ideas into action. – Garry Kasparov, Chess Grandmaster and author of Winter Is Coming… offers an eloquent indictment of Western collusion in the creation of these autocracies… a clear-sighted and unflinching look at the ideas, resentments, assumptions and practices of the regimes that are challenging liberal democracy. – Michael Ignatieff * Literary Review *Autocracy, Inc. is clear-sighted and fearless … a masterclass in the marriage of dodgy government to international criminality … (both) deeply disturbing; it couldn’t be anything else (and) a lively pleasure to read. – John Simpson * Guardian *Ms Applebaum worries that “autocracy, inc” is poisoning minds and corrupting decision-makers in the democratic West … [and] offers useful tips for resisting. * Economist *Autocracy, Inc. is a valuable book for many reasons, but the focus on illicit wealth creation and on those in democracies who enable it is especially timely. So is Applebaum’s recommendation that we wage war on autocratic behaviors wherever they occur. – Ruth Ben-Ghiat * Washington Post *Rigorously researched, bracing and realistic… But she is by no means fatalistic, urging free nations to confront the complicity of financial, legal and communications professionals in enabling Autocracy, Inc. – Matthew D’Ancona * New European *Applebaum deserves credit for drawing attention to the alarming new alliances of dictatorships seeking to shackle freedom, undemrine human rights, and usurp our values – along with the complacency of democracies that have done so little to stop the flood of fake news … and flows of dirty money. – Ian Birrell * Spectator *In under 200 pages of breathless, urgent prose … Applebaum highlight(s) the unlikely partnerships among the world’s autocratic regimes [and] does an excellent job laying out the corrupting effects these autocracies have on western democracies – Yuan Yi Zhu * The Times *Excellent … clear … a call to arms to defend our societies – Tim Judah * Financial Times *

Anne Applebaum is the author of Gulag- A History, which won the Pulitzer Prize, of Iron Curtain- The Crushing of Eastern Europe, 1944-1956, which won the Cundill Prize, of Red Famine- Stalin’s War on Ukraine which won the Lionel Gelber and Duff Cooper prizes, and of the best-selling Twilight of Democracy. She is a columnist for The Atlantic and a senior fellow at Johns Hopkins University. She divides her time between Britain, Poland and the USA.