Confronting Authoritarian Regimes

“The great democracies face new and serious threats – yet seem to be losing confidence in their own calling and competence. Economic, political, and national security challenges proliferate, and they are made worse by the tendency to turn inward. The health of the democratic spirit itself is at issue. And the renewal of that spirit is the urgent task at hand.”
— President George W. Bush

Authoritarian powers erode confidence in democracy and expand their influence. They do this via military force, election interference, cyberattacks, illicit financing, and persecuting vulnerable populations.

China, Russia, and Iran project influence in Africa, Latin America, Afghanistan, and the Middle East, and they align with other authoritarian powers like North Korea and the Taliban. Such alliances pose a serious threat to democracies globally.

Combating authoritarian regimes is most effectively addressed by collaborating with our allies. We stress the need to:

• Reduce corruption that fuels authoritarian governments
• Support democratic activists in closed societies
• Coordinate political and economic pressure on autocrats to isolate them from the global arena
• Recognize that protecting human rights advances national security