Max Grömping and Jessica Teets on Lobbying the Autocrat
Jun 23, 2023
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Max Grömping and Jessica Teets discuss lobbying by civil society organizations in authoritarian regimes, exploring case studies from China, Russia, Belarus, Cambodia, Malaysia, Montenegro, Turkey, and Zimbabwe. They highlight the challenges faced by non-elite groups and the potential influence of citizens in oppressive regimes. Topics covered include the dynamics of co-option, NGO policy advocacy in China, navigating advocacy in Turkey, and the interaction between economic conditions and policy advocacy in autocracies.
Lobbying in authoritarian regimes involves activities that aim to influence policy outcomes through debates, persuasion, and information exchange, and there are more similarities than differences with lobbying in democratic settings
Advocacy groups in authoritarian regimes face challenges related to forming and mobilizing, but can achieve success by understanding and adapting to specific conditions, employing diverse tactics, and navigating limited access, repression, and lack of transparency
Deep dives
Lobbying in Non-Democracies
Lobbying in authoritarian regimes is different from democratic contexts but still plays a significant role in influencing policy outcomes. In these regimes, lobbying involves activities that aim to modify public policy through debates, persuasion, and information exchange between organized groups and the government. It encompasses a range of strategies, from direct engagement with bureaucrats to outside lobbying and media strategies. Surprisingly, there are more similarities than differences between lobbying in autocratic and democratic settings. Autocratic regimes also value technical expertise and engage with advocacy groups for their knowledge. While there are challenges in navigating the limited access, repression, and lack of transparency, there are examples of long-term gains through lobbying efforts, such as changes to electoral systems in Malaysia. Adaptability and flexibility are key for lobbyists in authoritarian settings, and policy changes can become institutionalized depending on the level of institutionalization within the regime.
The Influence Production Framework
The influence production framework highlights the four stages of advocacy: mobilization and maintenance, interest communities, strategies, and outcomes. Advocacy groups in authoritarian regimes face the challenge of forming and mobilizing in the first stage, as it receives the most attention from the regime's strategies for control. Once formed, groups can engage in developing strategies and advocating for their policy interests. Long-term success often depends on understanding and adapting to specific conditions, such as gaining access to policymakers, exchanging information, and navigating repression. Advocacy groups in authoritarian regimes need to be adaptable and flexible, as they face greater constraints and uncertainty compared to democracies. However, their strategies and outcomes can resemble those seen in democratic settings, with groups employing diverse tactics and achieving different levels of success.
Structural Conditions for Advocacy in Authoritarian Regimes
Advocacy groups in authoritarian regimes face three key structural conditions: access to policymakers, access to information, and the risk of repression. Access to policymakers is often limited in these regimes, creating the need for advocates to understand how to generate exchange relationships and gain influence. Access to information is also restricted, making it challenging for advocates to gather and share relevant data. Repression is a significant concern, with the risk of harassment or backlash from the government. Advocacy groups must navigate these conditions strategically, adapt to the changing red lines set by the regime, and align their framing with the core legitimation strategies employed by the authoritarian government. Successful negotiating of these conditions can lead to policy change and outcomes.
Lessons for Engaging with Authoritarian Regimes
Engagement with authoritarian regimes requires a nuanced approach, taking into account the specific context and challenges. Developed democracies like Australia and the US can draw lessons from understanding the dynamics of policy advocacy in autocratic settings. Strategies for engagement may include building long-term capacity among local counterparts, focusing on technical expertise, media and lobbying capacities, and understanding policy redlines. Localization strategies should be implemented carefully, considering the potential risks and divisions within civil society. International aid organizations can bridge the gap between regime-loyal groups and autonomous groups, fostering relationships and increasing the likelihood of policy adoption. Overall, engagement with authoritarian regimes should balance the acknowledgment of constraints with efforts to support and empower advocacy groups fighting for policy change.
In this episode of Lowy Institute Conversations, Project Director and Research Fellow Dr Jennifer Hsu talks with Dr Max Grömping and Professor Jessica Teets to explore how lobbying by civil society organisations works in an authoritarian context. Using case studies from China, Russia, Belarus, Cambodia, Malaysia, Montenegro, Turkey and Zimbabwe, Lobbying the Autocrat explores how citizen advocacy organisations carve out niches in the authoritarian policy process, even influencing policy outcomes.
Dr Max Grömping is senior lecturer at the School of Government and International Relations at Griffith University (Australia). His research interests include lobbying and advocacy in different political regime contexts, disinformation, and electoral integrity. He previously worked as lecturer at Heidelberg University (Germany), research associate at the University of Sydney (Australia), and instructor in international relations at Thammasat University (Thailand). Max is an affiliate of the International Panel on the Information Environment (IPIE), and associate editor for the journal Democratization. His work has been published in academic journals such as Political Communication, Governance, Party Politics, and Policy Sciences, among others.
Professor Jessica C. Teets is Professor of Political Science at Middlebury College and Templeton Fellow for the Asia Program at the Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI). Her research focuses on governance in authoritarian regimes, especially the role of civic participation. She is the author of Civil Society Under Authoritarianism: The China Model (Cambridge University Press, 2014), editor (with William Hurst) of Local Governance Innovation in China: Experimentation, Diffusion, and Defiance (Routledge Contemporary China Series, 2014), and editor (with Max Grömping) of Lobbying the Autocrat: The Dynamics of Policy Advocacy in Nondemocracies (University of Michigan Press, 2023).
