2011 Wasn't A Bad Year For Dictators -- USA TodayThe conventional wisdom is that 2011 was a bad year for dictators. Overthrows of regimes across the Arab World, protests against the Kremlin, the apparent opening of Burma's junta, and the recent death of North Korea's reclusive dictator, support this argument.
I disagree. Most autocrats across the globe are still resting comfortably in their opulent palaces. Plus, several democracies have flirted with creeping authoritarianism. Ukraine, once the post-Soviet poster child for democracy evangelists, got bumped down a ranking by Freedom House. Turkey's Islamist government has shown flickers of authoritarianism. And democracy and clean governance have been found wanting in India, despite its exceptional growth rate.
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My Comment: A sobering realization that dictators and the ruthless regimes and bureaucracies that they spawn will be with us for a lot longer than what many of us may hope for.
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