Control over the security services is a key ingredient of political survival in authoritarian
regimes. This is particularly true during periods of leadership succession and high political …

When a dictator moves to consolidate his own power vis-a-vis the elite allies in his inner
circle, who should he target for a purge? By introducing power heterogeneity into the elites …

Given the inherent risk, why would a dictator dole out policy control, riches, and military
command to his rivals? Historical accounts focus on a dictator's underestimation of his rival's …

Maintaining the small coalition of powerful individuals necessary to support her regime is not
without risks for a dictator. One of the fundamental tensions of authoritarian governance is …

In contemporary China, despite heavy censorship, political rumors about corruption and
scandals are rampant on the Internet and social media. Contrary to popular intuition, I argue …