However, within this category, increasingly populist governments are suppressing opposition groups, postponing elections, eliminating term limits, and abusing human rights to maintain power. "This method is gaining ground in countries whose leaders are desperately struggling to maintain their image and reputation on social media.". Personalistic dictatorships: 4. An unusual coup unfolded in Chad in April 2021. When necessary, a dictator may also make an effort to replace or amend the nation's constitution to empower, enrich, or otherwise benefit the dictator and his/her allies to a greater degree. This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) License. Renewing America, Backgrounder In southern Africa, the triumvirate of Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa are all considered free. But whats happening is the exact opposite, said Ornella Moderan, head of the Sahel Program at the Institute for Security Studies, which is based in Pretoria, South Africa. with Ivan Kanapathy, Bonny Lin and Stephen S. Roach with Alice C. Hill, Carmichael S. Roberts Jr. and Jennifer Wilcox Republic of Congo. November 4, 2022 People celebrating in the streets with members of Guineas armed forces in September, after soldiers toppled Guineas president, Alpha Cond, in a coup detat in the capital, Conakry. Such turmoil will grow as elites compete for power and citizens resist oppressive regimes, and will, in turn, inhibit social and economic development, to the disadvantage of the continents rapidly growing population. African While their president was imprisoned at a military base, hundreds of Malians celebrated with soldiers in the streets. It uneasily shares its waters with regional heavyweights Egypt and Ethiopia. By contrast, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) has been paralyzed by its inability or unwillingness to address the excesses of Zimbabwes ruling party, the Zimbabwe African National UnionPatriotic Front (ZANU-PF), because of its origins as a liberation movement. Video, The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure, African leaders complain about 'wave of coups'. Both Twitter and Facebook accusethe Ugandan government of using social media asa tool politicians to manipulate public opinion, spread disinformation, and intimidate the opposition. The pandemic is exacerbating a decline of democracy across sub-Saharan Africa. Even so, continuing to build institutional infrastructure is the unglamorous way to promote a democratic trajectory in Africa. Similarly, former Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keta was accused of rigging the 2020 legislative elections. So, he said, the military thinks: You know, why not take over?. Unfortunately, democracy is still shaky in many countries, a number of which are fighting violent religious insurrections, and the likelihood of any fallen dictator being quickly replaced by another dictator is high. The United Arab Emirates, a rising military power that has expanded its presence across the Middle East and East Africa, has close ties to the Rapid Support Forces, which sent thousands of fighters to aid the UAE In their book "Dictators and Dictatorships: Understanding Authoritarian Regimes and Their Leaders", authors Natasha M. Ezrow and Erica Frantz lay out five types of dictatorships: Power is obtained and maintained through military might. Conceived as the principal defenders of the 1979 revolution, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has evolved into an institution with vast political, economic, and military power. The government also doesn't shy away from temporarily shutting down social media alrogether, as waswitnessed during the run-up to the presidential election a year ago. People living under a dictatorship are often persecuted for unethical reasons, including their religion, sexual orientation, or economic status. Meanwhile, similar reports are also surfacing fromwest Africa: InNigeria,President Muhammadu Buhari"criticized the activists of the #EndSARS movement in June and called for action to be taken against them. In 2021, social media shutdownsalso took place in Burkina Faso, South Sudan, Senegal, Congo, Zambia, Chad, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Sudan. Obiang's regime is known for state-sanctioned kidnappings, torture of prisoners, and unlawful killings. And this is a problem everywhere that the West fetishizes sticking to a strict electoral calendar, said Mr. Salifu, while ignoring or downplaying other elements of democracy like a free press, freedom from political repression or human rights. There is nothing wrong with the Nigerian land or climate or water or air or anything else.. During the presidents weekslong public absence prior, at least one man was arrested for questioning his health. Egypt relies on the Nile to support its population of over 100 million, and Ethiopia is working on a massive upstream dam that has alarmed both Cairo and Khartoum. What makes post-independence sub-Saharan Africa so interesting is that they have witnessed all forms of regimes including royal dictatorship, military dictatorship and civilian dictatorship making up the autocratic regimes, as well as democratic regimes that include parliamentary democracy, mixed democracy and presidential democracy. Ulm-Dsterhft warns users not to download any unknown apps, take a close look at dubious social media accounts, and contact the app operators if in doubt. Here is a list of countries operating under a single-party dictatorship in 2021: China The Communist Party of China has been in political control for the last 71 By Greg Miller. When Facebook took action, President Museveni's press secretary, Don Wanyama, whose Facebook and Instagram accounts were also suspended, accused Facebook of trying to influence the 2021 election in Uganda: "Shame on the foreign powers who think they can impose a puppet government on Uganda by disabling the online accounts of NRM supporters," Wanyama wrote on Twitter at the time. Thus in total, almost 440 Ugandan social media accounts close to the Ugandan government have beenblocked by social media networks in the East African country to date. Opposition figures including Tundu Lissu and Freeman Mbowe have called for a new constitution that limits presidential powers. On a similar note, a dictatorship's regular citizens have no voice in most matters. Russia launches pre-dawn missile attack on Ukraine, Chaos at port as thousands rush to leave Sudan. COVID-19 has also dramatically redirected Ethiopias political landscape deeper into authoritarianism. Yet, Malawi offers a bright spot amid the pandemic. Initial signs following Magufulis death are promising for Tanzanian democracy: Samia Suluhu Hassan, the vice president under Magufuli, was sworn in as president as prescribed by the constitution. ", Meanwhile, some governments are even going further and targeting their citizens directly by exploiting their internet affinity:"Spy software is being bought by governments and installed specifically on smartphones,"Amnesty expert Ulm-Dsterhft told DW. The dictator is the absolute ruler. Mr Cond had also become increasingly authoritarian in the months leading up to the coup, jailing and exacting violence against his political opponents and anti-government activists. Protesters against military coup in Khartoum, Sudan, in October. Malcolm and Carolyn Wiener Annual Lecture, Religion and Foreign Policy Webinar: Religion and Technology, Virtual Event by Olivia Angelino, Thomas J. Bollyky, Elle Ruggiero and Isabella Turilli Globally in 2000 there were a total of 108 endemic countries. President John Magufuli repeatedlydownplayed the threatposed by COVID-19, claiming that prayer had defeated the disease in his country. Africa has several long-standing dictators despite the fact that the continent as a whole is quite volatile politically. An appropriate example of this occurred in 2020 when Russian president Vladimir Putin and his party introduced amendments to the country's constitution that reworked term limits, enabling Putin to remain in power until 2036. People are fed up with their governments for many reasons major security threats, relentless humanitarian disasters and millions of young people having no prospects. The military takes control of the country (usually through a direct coup), installs the dictator of its choosing (typically the highest-ranking military officer), and uses force of arms to preserve its power. Russia, meanwhile, has long harbored plans to build a naval base capable of hosting up to 300 troops and four ships in Port Sudan, on a crucial Red Sea trading route for energy shipments to Europe. However, foreign as well as domestic expectations for liberal democracy in Africa have often been unrealistic, and Africas setbacks are not surprising. Renewing America, Timeline This means that the ruler or party has complete control. A curation of original analyses, data visualizations, and commentaries, examining the debates and efforts to improve health worldwide. Michele Cattani/Agence France-Presse Getty Images, governments failure to protect its people from violent extremists. President Hassan has shifted the country toward a more evidence-based approach to COVID-19 and reached out to the opposition. Countries are responding to the World Health Organization (WHO) call to action by putting into place best-practice TFA policies. The terms "autocrat" and "autocracy" are often used interchangeably with "dictator" and "dictatorship". This publication is part of the Diamonstein-Spielvogel Project on the Future of Democracy. Robyn Dixon. Vietnam. Eswatini. The military took advantage of public anger at a stolen parliamentary election and the governments failure to protect its people from violent extremists, and arrested President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and forced him to resign on state television. January 31, 2022, How Tobacco Laws Could Help Close the Racial Gap on Cancer, Interactive On April 21, 1976, a group of four Greek Army colonels overthrew the caretaker government in a coup d'etat. Another reason is of course the need to try and avoid international condemnation and sanctions by pledging a return to multiparty elections and democratic governance. by Lindsay Maizland and Eleanor Albert Globally in 2000 there were a total of 108 endemic countries. A look at what is happening and the impact it could have outside Sudan. Failing to counter crime and insurgency, some African leaders are seeking greater security involvement from the United States. But a military takeover doesnt necessarily lead to a more effective response against insurgencies continuing attacks in Mali are evidence of that, she said. with Heidi Campbell and Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, with Ivan Kanapathy, Bonny Lin and Stephen S. Roach, Authors Note: Comparing and Quantifying Democracy, Malcolm and Carolyn Wiener Annual Lecture. His wealth is estimated to be approximately $600 million. In recent months, negotiations were underway for a return to the democratic transition. It comes two years after they jointly carried out a military coup and derailed a transition to democracy that had begun after protesters in 2019 helped force the ouster of longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir. The nation turns on the television and collectively switches to the state channel, where they see new leaders, wearing berets and fatigues, announce that the Constitution has been suspended, national assembly dissolved, borders closed. Strong institutions of government are a common feature, acting as a bulwark against self-interested leaders, such as former South African President Jacob Zuma, who is now on trial for corruption. First is that an autocracy nearly always focuses power in a single individual person, whereas dictatorshipssingle-party dictatorships in particularsometimes spread the power throughout a small group of people (say, the leaders of the dictator's political party). PMI, Presidents Malaria Initiative Strategy 2021-2026, 2021. Denis Sassou Nguesso took power in 1997, and has remained the president of the Republic of Congo. Alex De Waal, a Sudan expert at Tufts University, wrote in a memo to colleagues this week that the conflict should be seen as the first round of a civil war.. There are currently 22 dictators in Africa, some worse than others. However, after the January 16 election, Kutesa said the shut-downhad been"a necessary step to stop the biting language and incitement to violence. June 2, 2022, Stopping Illegal Gun Trafficking Through South Florida, Blog Post When the third wave of democratization swept across much of Africa in the wake of the Cold War, hopes were high that Africans would begin to enjoy the freedoms afforded to citizens living in the former colonial powers. They are also less likely to experience damaging conflicts and to commit widespread human rights abuses. Multiple political parties may exist, but one dominates the government, makes all the rules, is free to disseminate propaganda, and controls every aspect of every election (which may offer voters only a single candidate), thereby ensuring they win every time. With a population that is much younger than those of China, the US and the EU, there will be renewed interest in Indias potential to be a beacon of liberal values. The Economist declared it country of the year. Military takeovers are unlikely to provide an effective way out of this dangerous spiral, because every coup weakens democratic institutions and reasserts the power of the gun at the expense of the power of the ballot box. Yet, a single defining characteristic for these countries is difficult to pin down. Given the degree of censorship and control China's government leverages over its citizens, most political experts would call it a dictatorship. Secondly, while the term "dictatorship" is widely understood to include inherent abuse of powerthere is arguably no such thing as a benevolent dictatorhistory offers several examples of autocrats who tried to do what was best for their people. Theres a belief that strongmen can better face the security risks, especially in the Sahelian countries where violence is spiraling, said Anna Schmauder, a research fellow focused on the Sahel in the conflict research unit of the Dutch think tank Clingendael. by Will Freeman "If it did, it was punished. This may sound like a contradiction of terms to many people. American-made guns trafficked through Florida ports are destabilizing the Caribbean and Central America and fueling domestic crime. Apr 9, 2021 | Tags: President | Category: 1 Africa dictators, Africa Leaders, All, Dictators. In Burkina Faso, an attack last November that left almost 50 military police officers dead is considered a key event that led to the coup two months later. Ukraine updates: Air defenses fend off attack near Kyiv, Ukraine: Russian troops edge closer to taking Bakhmut, Ukraine's counteroffensive: Goals, opportunities, risks, Truly revolutionary? With every country that gets added to this list, the voices claiming that democracy is not working - and cannot work - in Africa grow louder. Nobel Laureate Chinua Achebes words about his own country apply just as well to many other African countries: The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership. This is understandable, as the terms are very similar. These countries usually have low levels of social development, underdeveloped civil organizations, and weak institutions of government. What Does the World Health Organization Do? A dictatorship is a type of government in which a single personthe dictatoror party has absolute power. Opiyo believes that this is whysocial media regulations are becoming necessary. Four trends stand out: In its 2021 report, Freedom House rated only eight countries in sub-Saharan Africa as free. Why African Nations Support U.S. Anti-Racism Protesters. As of 2020, there are 52 nations with a dictator or authoritarian regime ruling the country: Three in Latin America and South America, 27 in Asia and the Middle East, and 22 in Africa. Will Merrow created the graphics for this article. Again, the reasons were mainly political, withprotests, electionsand political unrest resulting ininformation shutdowns across the continent, with no end in sight: "It will take a while for those in power to understand that young people today expect them to sit down and talk to them,"political consultant Angelo Izama said. Monarchies: 3. Despite repeated promises to leave office in 2024 (when his term limit is reached), Putin spearheaded a 2020 constitutional amendment enabling him to remain in power until 2036. All three Sahelian countries with recent coups Mali, Burkina Faso and Chad are grappling with Islamist insurgencies that keep spreading, capitalizing on local tensions and grievances against political elites. According to Opiyo, this involves using bots and trolls, computer programs, and paid users who use fake accounts to flood social media with posts favorable to the government. Although it is true that some dictators are far more strict and overbearing than others, as a rule, dictatorships tend to result in a loss of personal autonomy, quality of life, and political choice for everyday citizens. Its citizens acquired the right to vote well before modern industrial The military rulers, seen as standing up to self-interested foreigners, now have overwhelming support, according to analysts and local news reports. An autocracy, monarchy, and dictatorship. The United Nations [PDF] and advanced democracies including France, Japan, and the United Kingdom have similarly linked foreign aid to good-governance reforms. Eswatini is currently ruled by king Makhosetive III Dlamini since 1986. Yet, these movements have frequently been met with an equal and opposite reaction: Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni cracked down on activists and implemented a social media ban; in Nigeria, protesters were massacred by army and police forces. In addition to concerns over growing corruption and rising insecurity, this undermined his personal legitimacy. Dictators typically retain their power by silencing any opposition to their rulings and guidelines. But here, Leonard Mbulle-Nziege and Nic Cheeseman argue that - despite these set-backs - democracy is the way forward for Africa. Taken together, these forces also drive internal displacement and outward migrationboth to other African countries and to Europe. After all, the overthrow of civilian presidents was followed by street celebrations in some countries as citizens cheered the downfall of elected leaders. Despite the decline, a plurality of countries (twenty-two) are considered partially free, in line with the sixteen-year average. Gunfire rings out. The situation could have been even more Tanzania offers a stark example. Littoral states are also, on average, freer than landlocked ones, likely benefitting from increased interactions with foreigners from democratic societiesa factor more important prior to the advent of the digital age. In Burkina Faso, a country that has experienced a lot of coups, there were a handful of pro-putsch rallies the day after the military seized power, but many people just went to work as usual. Examples might include King Cyrus the Great of Persia, who is thought to have created the first declaration of human rights, the Biblical King Solomon, Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, and Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Kwan Yue.

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