The Dictator's Learning Curve : Inside the Global Battle for Democracy

In this riveting anatomy of authoritarianism, acclaimed journalist William Dobson takes us inside the battle between dictators and those who would challenge their rule. Recent history has seen an incredible moment in the war between dictators and democracy--with waves of protests sweeping Syria and Yemen, and despots falling in Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya. But the Arab Spring is only the latest front in a global battle between freedom and repression, a battle that, until recently, dictators have been winning hands-down. The problem is that today's authoritarians are not like the frozen-in-time, ready-to-crack regimes of Burma and North Korea. They are ever-morphing, technologically savvy, and internationally connected, and have replaced more brutal forms of intimidation with subtle coercion. The Dictator's Learning Curve explains this historic moment and provides crucial insight into the fight for democracy. An esteemed Foreign Affairs editor and journalist analyzes the ongoing battle between dictatorships and those who oppose them, tracing uprisings in such nations as Egypt, Tunisia and Libya while exploring the sophisticated resources and methods used by modern dictators to maintain their power