January 2026, Volume 37, Issue 1
A revolution in political participation is underway: Political players and advocacy groups are using AI to draft ballot initiatives, gather signatures, and persuade voters—undermining democratic legitimacy in the process.
October 2025, Volume 36, Issue 4
People are losing faith in democracy’s ability to deliver social progress. But are democracies better than autocracies at promoting economic growth, alleviating poverty, and creating healthier, more educated, and more peaceful societies? On all counts, the answer is yes.
October 2025, Volume 36, Issue 4
Today, governments can see who buys what, who pays whom, and who donates to which cause. But they cannot easily trace or confiscate Bitcoin. The digital currency offers a lifeline to democratic movements operating in the most repressive places.
October 2025, Volume 36, Issue 4
Authoritarian regimes are targeting exiles and diaspora communities in more places than ever before. Activists, journalists, and regular people living abroad must watch their backs, because these governments now have the power to suppress dissent even outside their borders.
How Machado Can Steer Venezuela Toward Democracy | José Ramón Morales-Arilla
Whether the capture of Nicolás Maduro leads to democracy depends on Donald Trump — and María Corina Machado’s ability to make a democratic future the only attractive choice.
Why the United States Shouldn’t Run Venezuela | Juan Miguel Matheus
Nicolás Maduro has been removed, but the dictatorship he led remains. If this period of American tutelage drags too long, it will be a recipe for disaster for Venezuela and the United States.
Tanzania Will Never Be the Same | Dan Paget
Tanzania’s October election was a sham. When people rose up in protest, the regime responded with a brutal crackdown. That reign of terror marks a turning point for the country, and there is no going back.
News & Updates
January 2026
AI is advancing at a mind-boggling pace, and citizens worldwide are incorporating it into their daily lives. At the same time, bad actors now have more tools at their disposal to engineer the people’s will and undermine democracy.
January 2026
In recent years, we have seen young people across the world take to the streets in huge numbers. Propelled by economic precarity, exclusion from power, and elite corruption, Gen Z protesters have been risking severe repression despite little hope of bringing lasting change.
Most Read
Nicolás Maduro brazenly stole Venezuela’s 2024 presidential election, despite a free, fair, and transparent ballot count that showed a clear opposition victory. Why would an autocrat want to maintain one of the world’s best voting systems?
Brazil did something that few democracies achieve: It convicted a former president of attempting a coup. How did the country’s courts hold would-be autocrat Jair Bolsonaro accountable when so many other coup plotters go unpunished?
With illiberal forces ascendant across the globe, protecting individual liberties and the democratic process is crucial. But when institutions empower minority groups over the majority, can democracy survive?
Young people from Peru to Madagascar to Nepal—furious with political elites reaping the spoils of privilege and corruption—are rising up to demand change. But what happens when their movements succeed?
A revolution in political participation is underway: Political players and advocacy groups are using AI to draft ballot initiatives, gather signatures, and persuade voters—undermining democratic legitimacy in the process.
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By Javier Corrales and Dorothy Kronick
Nicolás Maduro brazenly stole Venezuela’s 2024 presidential election, despite a free, fair, and transparent ballot count that showed a clear opposition victory. Why would an autocrat want to maintain one of the world’s best voting systems?
Plus the entire January 2025 issue, available free of charge for a limited time.
