Through her extensive work, particularly focusing on the constitutional decay in Hungary and Poland, Scheppele explains how democratic systems are being dismantled from the inside out—not by breaking the law, but by using the law itself. What is Autocratic Legalism?
Autocratic legalism occurs when a leader with authoritarian ambitions uses their democratic mandate to launch a systematic attack on the institutions that are supposed to check their power. Unlike old-school dictators, autocratic legalists: autocratic legalism kim lane scheppele upd
Every move they make is backed by a parliamentary vote, a judicial ruling, or a constitutional amendment. Through her extensive work, particularly focusing on the
Understanding Autocratic Legalism: Kim Lane Scheppele’s Framework for Modern Backsliding Through her extensive work
They use legislation to cripple the opposition, silence independent media, and capture the judiciary.