Authoritarian Regimes

You are researching the topic 'authoritarian regimes'. This means

• systems of government where a ruler often has full power and no fair elections

• a system of government with a powerful press and independent judiciary that can challenge the government

• countries where people have too much freedom

• countries where you have to do national service

What do you need to do/ plan BEFORE the conference starts? (Two correct answers)

• a 1000 word essay on the topic

• a 5 minute speech summarising your essay

• a 300 word position paper summarising your research, your country's opinion, and proposed solutions

• An opening speech of about 90 seconds summarising your position paper

Countries in the world becoming less democratic and free (called "democratic backsliding") is becoming a more serious problem (True / False)

• True. 'The 2020 report of the Varieties of Democracy Institute found that the global share of democracies declined from 54% in 2009 to 49% in 2019'

• False. 'The 2020 report of the Varieties of Democracy Institute found that the global share of democracies increased from 49% in 2009 to 54% in 2019'

Nazi Germany and Stalinist Russia were both authoritarian regimes from the twentieth century (TRUE / FALSE)

• TRUE. Even though these regimes were very different economically, they both restricted citizens' freedoms drastically.

• FALSE. Stalinist Russia was communist, and so more tot he left economically, whereas Nazi Germany was Fascist, and more to the right.

Which one of the following countries is authoritarian?

• Spain

• Canada

• North Korea

• Norway

Which one of the following countries is not authoritarian?

• The People's Republic of China

• Turkey

• Australia

• Russia

True of False: liberal and free countries allow authoritarian parties and politicians to become elected.

• 
• False. Liberal democracies block the election of people or parties that would undermine freedoms.

Which of the following is NOT a common feature of authoritarian regimes?

• Cult of Personality: Promotion of a glorified and almost worshipful image of the leader to ensure loyalty and prevent opposition.

• Suppressing Minority Groups: Mistreatment and sometimes persecution of minority groups to strengthen national identity or distract from criticism.

• Censorship and Media Control: Tight control over media and communication, including internet censorship, limiting free speech, and spreading propaganda.

• Diplomatic and International Cooperation: Engagement in international organizations and treaties, promoting global cooperation, peace, and security.

True or false: authoritarian regimes, whilst limiting freedom of expression, might be safer places to live in some cases because they promote strong laws and order, eg. by giving the police more powers...

• True: media is often tightly controlled (censored) so harmful material might be harder to access, and violent protest is harder

• False. Strong democracies are always safer places than authoritarian regimes.

Tick two true aspects of authoritarian regimes

• Because power is centralised, decisions get made faster. Eg. You get a road built more quickly.

• Because power is centralised, authoritarian regimes always give more economic stability.

• Because power is centralised, it is easier for people in power to misuse funds (corruption).

• Because power is centralised, citizens are more free, and can state their opinion easily.