Competitive Authoritarianism
경쟁권위주의
A comparative politics framework identifying modern hybrid regimes where formal democratic institutions exist, but incumbents abuse state resources, media, and courts to tilt the playing field against opponents.
| Field | Political Science |
|---|---|
| Level of analysis | Macro · Structures & Institutions |
| Paradigm | Institutionalism Conflict Theory |
| Key figures | 👤 Steven Levitsky (스티븐 레비츠키) 👤 Lucan Way (루칸 웨이) |
| Year | 2002 |
Key Claims
Steven Levitsky and Lucan Way demonstrated that competitive authoritarian regimes violate democracy without openly abolishing democratic institutions. Incumbents severely abuse state power (tax audits, legal harassment, monopolized media) to create a heavily tilted playing field, making competition real but unfair.
Further Reading
- Levitsky, S., & Way, L. A. (2002). Elections without democracy: The rise of competitive authoritarianism. Journal of Democracy, 13(2), 51–65.
- Levitsky, S., & Way, L. A. (2010). Competitive Authoritarianism: Hybrid Regimes after the Cold War. Cambridge University Press.
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