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New book: 'Autocrats Can't Always Get What They Want'

20 August 2024

Nathan J Brown, Steven D Schaaf, Samer Anabtawi, and Julian G Waller present a new framework to make sense of authoritarian politics by looking at state institutions as political actors in their own right.

The word authoritarian within a dictionary

Samer Anabtawi, Assistant Professor in Comparative Politics at UCL, is co-author of a new book "Autocrats Can’t Always Get What They Want". 

The book argues that understanding authoritarian regimes requires examining the internal workings of state institutions, not just the ruler's intentions. These institutions, like parliaments and courts, can develop autonomy through strong institutionalization and links with key constituencies, leading to varied forms of authoritarian governance..

Dr Anabtawi says "Our new book presents a new framework to make sense of authoritarian politics by looking at state institutions as political actors in their own right, capable to varying degrees of entrenching themselves and forging networks of support ​within society and the state. Our approach enables us to account for the vast variability in the autonomy of these institutions and their ability to impact governance and policy"

 


Read the author's summary of the book:
Can Autocrats Always Get What They Want? No, the World is More Interesting Than That
By: Nathan J. Brown, Steven D. Schaaf, Samer Anabtawi, and Julian G. Waller 


 

Autocrats Can't Always Get What They Want
State Institutions and Autonomy under Authoritarianism

By Nathan J Brown, Steven D Schaaf, Samer Anabtawi, and Julian G Waller