Author Archives: pmendez2000

“That streets are peaceful does not mean there is no violence.” Authoritarian regimes depend on repression, either preventive or remedial to protect themselves from threats. “Preventive repression is aimed to render mute potential opposition and repress opponents before they carry out any activities that would threaten the stability of the regime. In this sense, preventiveContinue reading “Staying in power: preventive and remedial repression”

An excerpt from Guriev and Treisman’s paper that summarises their key arguments is below. “How do dictators hold onto power? The simplest answer is by means of violent repression. A long string of autocrats—from the military dictators Franco and Pinochet to the personalistic tyrants Mobutu and Somoza—have left behind them rivers of blood. Totalitarians suchContinue reading “How do modern autocrats hold on to power?”

It is important to note that Chávez ultimately obtained the presidency through a fair election. For a considerable period of time he did remain a popular leader. Authoritarians who are elected present a conundrum for liberals. Liberals support democracy but how must we deal with leaders who come to power through elections and then proceedContinue reading “Illiberal Democracy”

A brief background for those not familiar with our former leader. In 1992, Chávez and a group of military officers led an attempt to overthrow the government of President Carlos Andrés Pérez. Unfortunately for Chávez, the rebellion quickly collapsed. Chavez surrendered on the condition he be allowed to address his coconspirators on national television. HeContinue reading “Background : The rise of Hugo Chávez”

These are a couple of limericks based on Esse est percipi There once was a man who said “GodMust think it exceedingly oddIf he finds that this treeContinues to beWhen there’s no one about in the Quad.”  A different author wrote the following reply Dear Sir,              Your astonishment’s odd.I am always about in the Quad.AndContinue reading “Berkeley Limericks”

Dr Jospeh Goebbels was a master in the art of propaganda. What is surprising is the extent who which techniques he advocated are being used by informational autocrats today. If we are to recognise falsehoods it is useful to understand the techniques by which they are propagated. The key principles are These principles are abstractedContinue reading “Goebbels’ principles of propaganda”

Berkeley thought that when we say that a thing exists we mean that the thing is perceived to exist. If we do not perceive, it does not exist. Modern informational autocracies depend on manipulating people’s perceptions to allow them to accept falsehoods favourable to the regime while denying facts that are not. Facts and evidenceContinue reading “Esse est percipi (to be is to be perceived) George Berkeley (1685—1753)”

My name is Pablo Mendez and I am student of political science. I am no no expert on this subject, these are simply ideas that I am working on. I am quite happy to receive comments, criticism or further ideas to reflect on.