Authoritarianism is a Systemic Risk

Rising authoritarianism is easy to treat as an abstract problem—a distant political danger, a threat someone else needs to address, or a challenge that will take care of itself.

It is anything but.

For two decades, authoritarian governments around the world have grown stronger, more coordinated, and more aggressive. They attack political opponents at home and work to undermine democracy abroad. Meanwhile, democracies themselves have backslid—as elected demagogues foment toxic polarization, erode institutional norms, and capture the very courts and watchdogs meant to check them.

In this accessible, evidence-based essay, Hardy Merriman makes the case that this trend is not a passing storm but a systemic risk. Authoritarianism is a structural impediment to progress on nearly every issue that matters, including:

• Peace and security

• Gender equality

• Human rights

• Economic stability and growth

• The fight against corruption

• LGBTQ+ rights

• Public health and human security

• Action to address climate change

• The growing crisis of refugees and displacement

Drawing on a wide body of research, Merriman shows how the consequences of authoritarianism compound over time, and that the case for resolute action only grows stronger the longer it is deferred.

Written for leaders in the non-profit, public, and private sectors, this volume is essential reading for any who assume that their own institutions are more durable than the evidence suggests. It details the value of democracy, the stakes of losing it, and shows that none are exempt from the impacts of authoritarian attacks.

The time to push back is now.