Elites Loyalty and the Survival of Authoritarian Regimes

Session Submission Type: Full Paper Panel

Session Description

This panel explores autocratic consolidation and survival by examining strategies and challenges related to elite loyalty, acquiescence, resistance, coalition formation, as well as power shifts among leaders and elites. The papers investigate why, when, and how elites acquiesce or resist the dictator’s power consolidation, the strategies they utilize, the challenges they encounter, and how autocrats adapt to shifting elite loyalty. The panel features papers employing diverse methodologies, shedding light on the hidden transcripts of dissent within regime elites, the complexities of ethnic identity in maintaining loyalty, and the intricate dynamics of monopolizing power and building coalitions.

Sub Unit

• Division 44: Democracy and Autocracy

Individual Presentations

• Temporal Dynamics of Power Consolidation in Dictatorships - Jun Koga Sudduth, Indiana University, Bloomington; Koji Oishi, Indiana University

• Challenges of Elite Loyalty and Ethnic Stacking in al-Bashir Regime - Salam Alsaadi, University of Toronto

• Hidden Transcripts of Ruling Elites under Authoritarian Regimes - Sahib Jafarov, University of Toronto

• Why Strong Autocratic Elites Allow Leaders to Monopolize Power - Jose Kaire, Arizona State University

Chair

• Sean Yom Temple University

Discussant

• Sofia Fenner