Autocracy, Inc
The Dictators Who Want to Run the World
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Autocracy, Inc
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Narrated by:
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Anne Applebaum
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By:
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Anne Applebaum
About this listen
Brought to you by Penguin.
One of the world's most celebrated historians and journalists uncovers the networks trying to destroy the democratic world
All of us have in our minds a cartoon image of what an autocratic state looks like, with a bad man at the top. But in the 21st century, that cartoon bears little resemblance to reality. Nowadays, autocracies are run not by one bad guy, but by sophisticated networks composed of kleptocratic financial structures, security services and professional propagandists. The members of these networks are connected not only within a given country, but among many countries. The corrupt, state-controlled companies in one dictatorship do business with corrupt, state-controlled companies in another. The police in one country can arm, equip, and train the police in another. The propagandists share resources—the troll farms that promote one dictator’s propaganda can also be used to promote the propaganda of another—and themes, pounding home the same messages about the weakness of democracy and the evil of America.
Unlike military or political alliances from other times and places, this group doesn’t operate like a bloc, but rather like an agglomeration of companies: Autocracy, Inc. Their relations are not based on values, but are rather transactional, which is why they operate so easily across ideological, geographical, and cultural lines. In truth, they are in full agreement about only one thing: Their dislike of us, the inhabitants of the democratic world, and their desire to see both our political systems and our values undermined.
That shared understanding of the world—where it comes from, why it lasts, how it works, how the democratic world has unwittingly helped to consolidate it, and how we can help bring it down—is the subject of this book.
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What listeners say about Autocracy, Inc
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 18-03-25
The Global Bystander Effect
That we have been fuelling autocracies, ensuring kleptocracies remain in power, stand by while watching disinformation and corruption continue to dominate and spread globally, we now are paying the price through war and polarisation, dictatorship and populist rhetoric, corruption and feeds of lies and propaganda.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- T.O.R. Caza
- 04-08-24
Ultimately hopeful
Ultimately hopeful, informative. Useful way to get a summarised view of the current state of play in the world of autocratic states
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Terry Miles
- 22-09-24
Feeling more pessimistic now
This book has been a revelation to me. I hope that the solutions she suggests can be made to work but I am not confident.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Hoops
- 30-07-24
A disturbing picture of the future.
Most of our news and information on the world trickles in on a daily basis. That flow alone is generally worrying. However, to be presented with this detailed, well researched critique of the political world is quite disturbing. What's more worrying is that the groundwork for this future has already and insidiously been laid.
Weak and corrupt politicians, unscrupulous oligarchs, criminal overlords and despotic rulers are creating a parallel world order where they basically can do whatever they want. No constraints or consequences for their barbaric actions.
Well narrated by the author. Hard at times to both tear myself away and also to take in what is being relayed to me. This audiobook has left me troubled but also motivated to work my way through the rest of this excellent writers back catalogue.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Dennis
- 23-07-24
Dictators unite - why bad actors collaborate
Short and to the point. A must read for anyone like me who follow world events.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Roxy
- 22-11-24
The world needs to listen
The world needs to pay attention, not just to this book. Alarm bells are ringing for democracies everywhere. Applebaum's book was published just a few months before Trump's reelection, and it may already be too late for our democracies to respond effectively.
I am not an intellectual, academic, or historian, but I have been saying for years now that disinformation is the number one enemy of our society.
Ann Applebaum's book is fascinating, engaging, and extremely important.
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- Owen
- 25-01-25
The obvious
Great book. filled with shocking details. very relevant on 2024/5. recommended it to numerous friends.
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- Matt N
- 08-03-25
Urgent and terrifying
Fascinating and disturbing outline of autocratic forces and strategies across National borders. This should be in the National curriculum of every democratic country…
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- TheZee
- 31-07-24
A practical book
I heard this author being interviewed on the PBS podcast called Fresh Air. As she spoke, I knew that I had to listen to this book.
I listened with bated breath and found that Anne Applebaum is absolutely enthralling, pragmatic and refreshingly astute on this matter.
I couldn't recommend this book enough. The solutions are rich.
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- WUP
- 07-08-24
Excellent book, highly recommend to all. A MUST read.
Anne knows the world we live in and explains the dangers in it. Excellent book, highly recommend to all. A MUST read.
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