Kant, Democracy, and History

The Chinese state is much weaker than most people realize, which bodes ill for the country’s democratic prospects.

Is politics an arena without rules? No, and, increasingly, many are enshrined in constitutions. But countries that hardwire their political process into their founding charters face other risks.

In some countries, democratic competition is undermined less by electoral fraud or repression than by a skewed playing field—unequal access to state institutions, resources, and the media.