Defeating the Dictators:
How Democracy Can Prevail in the Age of the Strongman
Available with free global shipping at Blackwell's
Also available at Amazon, etc.
Summary
The world is currently experiencing the lowest levels of democracy we have seen in over thirty years. Autocracy is on the rise, and while the cost of autocracy seems evident, it nevertheless remains an attractive option to many.
While leaders like Viktor Orbán disrupt democratic foundations from within, autocrats like Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin do so from abroad, eroding democratic institutions and values and imperiling democracies that appear increasingly fragile. There are even those who, disillusioned with the current institutions in place, increasingly think authoritarianism can deliver them a better life than democracy has or could.
They’re wrong. Autocracy is not the solution – better democracy is. But we have to make the case for it. We have to combat institutional rot by learning from one another, and, at times, from our rivals. And we have to get our own houses in order. Only then can we effectively stand up for democratic values around the world and defeat the dictators.
Praise
Financial Times Best Book of the Week
Financial Express (India) 2023 Top Pick
The New Indian Express (India) 2023 Top Pick
Deccan Herald (India) Read of the Week
National Endowment for Democracy Weekend Read
"In Defeating the Dictators, Dunst convincingly shows that preserving and advancing liberalism abroad is possible only if democracies get their own houses in order. He marshals practical evidence from across the globe to offer a clear roadmap for fixing key challenges at home and abroad. In this turbulent era of rising strongmen, what could be more important?'" –Admiral James Stavridis (ret.), former NATO Supreme Allied Commander
"A rare book: a deeply-researched and engaging work that both details the challenges democracies face, and offers us clear and persuasive solutions. Dunst's writing is as sharp as his argument is necessary. Anyone who believes in democracy – in the United States or anywhere else – should read his book." –Senator Chris Coons
"America's Founders understood that our republic would require constant nurturing. Charles Dunst's excellent book tells us how we can defeat the dictators, strengthen democracies, and build a better future for generations to come. People everywhere who care about freedom should read this book and implement what the author recommends."
–Lt. Gen. H. R. McMaster (ret.), former U.S. National Security Advisor
"Remarkable. A thoughtful and perceptive book." –Jeremy Hunt, former UK Chancellor of the Exchequer
"Charles Dunst’s deeply researched, timely and powerful book offers a blueprint for how democracies should fight back." –Kim Darroch, former UK Ambassador to the United States and UK National Security Advisor
"Charles Dunst’s 'aspirational' book about how democracies can do a better job of competing with autocracies is bursting with statistics and lots of common sense." –Charles Kaiser, The Guardian
"Charles Dunst’s new book [...] offers a programme for revitalisation of troubled democracies. At a time when much rhetoric in the US is focused on the international arena, Dunst is surely right to emphasise the importance of democratic regeneration at home. After all, 'victory' in the cold war was achieved not through force of arms but because the western model was so much more robust and attractive than the Soviet alternative." –Gideon Rachman, Financial Times
"Defeating the Dictators is a creative and thought-provoking book bolstered by well-researched statistics, potent anecdotes, and a slate of high-profile endorsements from defenders of democracy on both sides of the aisle in the United States and from around the world." –Matthew Kroenig and Danielle Miller, Foreign Policy
"It is so important, as Charles Dunst argues in a new book, Defeating the Dictators, that western democracies fight for their values and fulfil their peoples’ expectations." –Simon Tisdall, The Observer
"Full of true claims, common sense, and a needed dose of optimism." –Tyler Cowen, Marginal Revolution
"Dunst makes a convention-busting argument 'for democracies to beat autocracy both within and abroad by learning to perform and deliver for our people once again.' It’s undoubtedly a tall order, but it is perhaps the most essential part of the democracy equation." –Jason Miklian, Boston Globe
"A practical and hopeful blueprint at a time when democracy’s prospects seem gloomy." –Mark St. Andrew, Tortoise
"This is a remarkably well-planned document that charts the areas in which democracy needs to improve in order to show the world [...] that democracy is still the best way forward." –Rishav Paul, The Telegraph (India)
"Democracies can stand up to autocracy only if we are ready to face our own vulnerabilities and the strength of our opponents. Defeating the Dictators is a great place to start – essential reading." –Ivan Krastev, Chairman of the Centre for Liberal Strategies in Sofia, Bulgaria and permanent fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna
"At a time when democracy is under attack, Charles Dunst helps us understand the nature, scale and scope of the power grabs that are changing the world. Dunst also offers an insightful review of the options we have to restore, protect and strengthen democracy at home and abroad. A must read." –Moisés Naím, Distinguished Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
"Dunst offers a much-needed survey on what ails democracies today and solutions on how to regain our place as the world's model. His sharp and engaging analysis is essential." –Ana Palacio, former Spanish Foreign Minister
"Defeating the Dictators is an elegant and personal journey around the world where Dunst, a former foreign correspondent in Southeast Asia, explores the attraction to autocracy and what needs to be done to return the shine to democracy." –Reid Standish, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
"Another way to combat dictatorship is for democracies to deliver at home, as Charles Dunst argues in Defeating the Dictators: How Democracy Can Prevail in the Age of the Strongman. Political grid-lock, income inequality, stagnant wages and rising crime can provide fertile ground for populists." –Frank Langfitt, NPR
"A deftly-crafted book." –Gregory Brown, Australian Strategic Policy Institute