Dealing with dictators? New article from Prof. Armstrong in the Journal of Political Philosophy

Dictatorship is a great stain upon our world. Dictators treat their subjects purely as means to their own aggrandizement, and not as agents with a right to participate in self‐government.

Moreover, dictators frequently, though not always, commit great harms: starting wars, brutalizing dissidents, persecuting minorities, and squandering resources which could otherwise be used to advance the common good.

The question of how outsiders—including outsiders living in societies committed in word, if not always in deed, to the core principles of liberal democracy—ought to engage with or respond to dictatorial regimes, though, is a thorny one. Difficult questions arise in the context of overseas aid, for instance, as states and NGOs grapple with how to act in a situation where their support might bolster repressive regimes.

Prof. Chris Armstrong just published a piece in the Journal of Political Philosophy that explores how we can deal with dictators. The article investigates a variety of interventions and how we can improve their effectiveness. The full version of the paper can be found on the Wiley Online Library website.