Episode Details

1913 NICHOLAS II OF RUSSIA
Surviving Modern Authoritarian Regimes
Maria Kuznetsova and Dan Storyev discuss their guide on surviving authoritarianism, analyzing political concepts used by strongmen to maintain control. They examine Kremlin political tactics, including the deep nation myth, the vertical of power, and the clash between television propaganda and economic reality represented by the refrigerator. Furthermore, they highlight blat informal networks, Chechnya as a testing ground for state repression, militarized riot police, and ostentatious displays of wealth among ruling political elites worldwide. (6)