Christmas in October? Maduro's Latest Ploy To Distract Venezuela
This latest stunt is nothing more than an attempted distraction from the country's deepening political and economic crises.
Authoritarianism
Is Free Speech Doomed in Hong Kong?
Last week’s sedition conviction is yet another step backward for press freedom.
Cornered Maduro Moves To Jail His Opponent
The arrest warrant against Edmundo González, the recognized winner of the contested Venezuelan election, only fuels the opposition's resolve against the regime.
Trump Doubled Down on Authoritarianism by Selecting J.D. Vance
The Ohio senator doesn't want to limit government power. He wants to use it against his political enemies.
'María Knew She Was Being Targeted': The Arrest of a Venezuelan Activist Exposes Maduro's Brutal Crackdown
María Oropeza's arrest during a livestream highlights the dangers faced by opposition leaders in Venezuela and the regime's relentless efforts to silence dissent.
Restricting Freedom of Movement Is a Favorite Tool for Repressive Regimes
Needing permission to travel hands a dangerous tool to authoritarians.
Freedom House Report Highlights Use of Mobility Restrictions as a Tool of Repression
Authoritarian states increasingly resort to this tactic. Immigration restrictions enacted by liberal democracies exacerbate the problem.
Party of COVID-19 Authoritarianism Improbably Rebrands as 'Party of Freedom'
Democrats campaigning both on their pandemic record and minding your own damn business: Pick one.
The Best of Reason: Kamala Harris Is a Cop Who Wants To Be President
The former California senator and prosecutor has a long record of pushing illiberal policies.
Venezuela's Repression Is Modeled on Horror Movies
The Maduro regime is broadcasting disturbing videos of its crackdown on dissent, featuring clips from Saw and music from A Nightmare on Elm Street.
Maduro's Tightening Grip
Plus: NYC's crazy rent control, goths under attack in El Paso, and more...
Wall Street Journal Reporter Evan Gershkovich Released From Russian Captivity
Gershkovich was released Thursday in an elaborate prisoner swap involving two dozen prisoners from at least six countries.
Did Nicolás Maduro Just Steal Another Election?
And if the results are proven false, will Venezuela finally move away from authoritarian rule?
Why the Media Covered for Biden
Plus: A listener asks whether Bruce Springsteen's song Born in the U.S.A is actually patriotic.
The Authoritarian Side of Effective Altruism Comes for AI
Proposed bills reveal the extreme measures E.A.’s AI doomsayers support.
Americans Don't Want a Dictatorship, but They're Creating One Anyway
Too many people think democracy works only if they get to dominate their opponents.
Kurdish Protesters Managed To Stop Election Cheating in Turkey
The Turkish government tried to hand over a mayorship to someone who only got 27 percent of the vote. Residents just weren’t having it.
The 3 Body Problem's Chilling Social Media Parallel
From struggle sessions to cancel culture, the story depicts the terrors of surveillance authoritarianism.
Is Javier Milei Making Argentina Great Again?
The new Argentine president is popular with American libertarians, but his record at home looks increasingly populist and authoritarian.
'15 Days To Slow the Spread': On the Fourth Anniversary, a Reminder to Never Give Politicians That Power Again
In the name of safety, politicians did many things that diminished our lives—without making us safer.
Report Finds Rise in Governments Targeting Dissidents Overseas
One in five national governments tried to intimidate or kill exiles in recent years.
The Bukele Model Means Security Without Liberty
El Salvador stands at a crossroads between popular sentiment and adherence to constitutional principles.
Tucker Dreams of Moscow
Plus: Aid for Ukraine, remote learning for 5-year-olds, intermittent fasting for Palestine, and more...
Tucker Carlson Is No 'Traitor' for Doing Journalism
Everybody has the right to speak and then take the heat.
Accused of Dictatorial Ambitions, Trump Doubles Down on Authoritarianism
His understanding of effective leadership and policing should repel anyone who cares about civil liberties and the rule of law.
Republican Presidential Nomination
DeSantis Down and Out
Plus: Javier Milei’s powerful speech on economic prosperity in Davos
Trump's Demand for 'Total' Presidential Immunity Reflects His Authoritarian Impulses
The former president argues that accountability is the enemy of effectiveness, both for cops and for politicians.
On Economic Issues, the Populist Right and Left Share a Lot of Common Ground
That's bad news for Americans.
Sandra Newman: Reimagining 1984 from Julia's Perspective
At the behest of George Orwell's estate, the acclaimed novelist has brilliantly recast his most famous work.
Review: Silo Shows the Perils of Authoritarian Hierarchies
Leaders depicted in the Apple TV+ series outlaw "relics" of the past, even including PEZ dispensers.
India's Alleged Assassination of a Dissident in Canada Highlights Repression Across Borders
No place is truly safe for dissidents when governments see no limits to their authority.
Despite the Doomsday Narrative, Global Inequality Has Significantly Declined
This progress has been widely shared, to the great benefit of the people at the bottom of the distribution.
China Is No Economic Model for America
The country's current struggles show the problems of the Beijing way—and make the case for freedom.
Don't Bring Back COVID Authoritarianism
People should be free to choose how cautious to be. Mask mandates, lockdowns, and closing schools won't stop the virus.
Owner of Kansas Newspaper Dies Amid 'Shock and Grief' After Police Raid
Plus: New Zealand libertarianism, Barbie economics, and more...
Getting Cozy With the Too Online 'New Right' Hasn't Worked Out for DeSantis
After firing the staffer blamed for a video that borrowed Nazi imagery, is Ron DeSantis finally backing away from the authoritarian edgelords?
The Two Faces of Ron DeSantis
Sometimes he calls for freedom, and sometimes he preaches something darker.
The Naked Feminist
Victoria Bateman thinks "my body, my choice" should include how much clothing you wear.
A Big Issue in Paraguay's Elections Was…Taiwan?
The voters opted to keep the country's ties with the island—a remarkable choice, given that China has become South America's top trading partner.
Brittney Griner's Russian Imprisonment Outraged the Country. So Should Vladimir Kara-Murza's.
The journalist and dissident, who was sentenced to 25 years in a penal colony for criticizing the Russian government, has not received the same attention.
Deirdre McCloskey: 'What We Want Is a Nonslave Society'
The economic historian and Magatte Wade, Alex Gladstein, Mohamad Machine-Chian, Tony Woodlief, and Tom Palmer are challenging authoritarians everywhere.
Maybe A.I. Will Be a Threat—To Governments
The designer of China's Great Firewall sees new A.I. tech as a concern for public authorities.
Want To Beat China? Let in More Chinese!
More immigration from China would both hobble a geopolitical rival and make America richer and better.
A Conflict Between Liberal Democracy and Authoritarian Nationalism: Implications of the Ideological Stakes in the Russia-Ukraine War
The war is often described as a conflict between authoritarianism and liberal democracy. That reality has some underappreciated implications.
COVID Made Us Sick, But Government Responses Crippled Our Liberty
Report author: “The COVID-19 pandemic was a catastrophe for human freedom.”
