A warning for business leaders: Aspiring autocrats tank economies

What It Covers

Political scientist Barbara Walter explains how partial democracies create economic instability and why business leaders must act to prevent America's democratic decline.

Key Questions Answered

• •Anocracy Risk: Countries in partial democracy zones experience lower GDP growth, higher political volatility, and more violence than both healthy democracies and autocracies combined.
• •Business Influence: Brazilian business leaders ran coordinated pro-democracy TV campaigns before 2022 elections, helping defeat strongman Bolsonaro through increased voter turnout and public messaging.
• •Autocrat Wealth Destruction: In Hungary under Viktor Orban, only 23% of the 50 richest people from 2010 remain wealthy today; 38% lost companies through aggressive regulations.
• •Democratic Recovery Timeline: Only 20% of countries return from partial democracy to full democracy, and this reversal must happen within five to eight years or becomes nearly impossible.