Democracies are increasingly more vulnerable to the "sharp power" tactics of authoritarian regimes but should not adopt these same tactics in response, Joseph Nye and Shanthi Kalathil told Pacific Council members in the fourth installment of the 2018 Summer Teleconference Series, on the rise of authoritarianism.

It would be a mistake to think that the best way to address heavy-handed tactics of censorship and surveillance by authoritarian regimes is through similarly heavy-handed tactics by democracies, writes Shanthi Kalathil.

In the face of the challenge posed by the "sharp power" of authoritarian governments, democratic governments and societies should avoid any temptation to imitate the methods of their adversaries or overreact in ways that undercut the advantage of their “soft power,” writes Joseph Nye ahead of our teleconference on August 9.

The question for Mexican President-elect AMLO is whether he will use his political skills to carry out profound structural changes to economic growth or reinforce Mexico’s old authoritarian system, writes Luis Rubio.