The Deceptive Use of Democratic Language by Modern Autocrats

Modern autocrats have mastered the art of using democratic language and institutions as a smokescreen to conceal their authoritarian practices. For instance, autocrats like Vladimir Putin hold elections that are not free or fair to maintain a facade of democracy. Similarly, in the US, the line between genuine democratic processes and politically motivated actions can be blurred, making it challenging to distinguish between the fair prosecution of leaders and the weaponization of institutions for political vendettas.