06 March 2025
Examining the foundations of authoritarian rule
Authoritarianism was in the spotlight for the return of the Department of Political Economy’s Distinguished Lecture series.
The first guest for the 2025 edition of the series was Kaushik Basu, Professor of Economics and Carl Marks Professor of International Studies at Cornell University, who sought to dissect the foundations of authoritarian rule in his lecture, the Grammar of Authoritarianism.
Prof Basu drew on real-world examples and used his own strategic analysis to examine authoritarian rule, how it morphs over time, and how, despite the appearance of an iron fist, it is often fragile, such as in the cases of Bashar Al-Assad and Haile Selassie.
Prof Basu also posited on how nations might rid themselves of dictatorial rule or prevent the emergence of those who might attempt to seize power for example, through the global imposition and enforcement of mandatory term limits.
The lecture was held in the Safra Lecture Theatre on 3 March and was followed by a reception.