Read a summary of this discussion here.

The fourth installment in the Pacific Council's 2018 Summer Teleconference Series, on the rise of authoritarianism in democratic nations.

In November 2017, the National Endowment for Democracy released a report titled "Sharp Power": Rising Authoritarian Influence in the Democratic World. This report highlights the knavish tricks that the authoritarian regimes in China and Russia have used to gain ground on the United States and our democratic allies around the world. These include cyberattacks and theft of Intellectual Property, propaganda, and erecting barriers at home while exploiting the openness of the world around them. This "sharp power" is a threat to democracies around the world, especially those vulnerable democracies in Latin America and Central Europe.

What is the cause of this recent rise of authoritarianism in what have traditionally been democratic nations? What does this mean for the future of democracy?

Listen to the full conversation below:

Featuring:

Dr. Joseph S. Nye, Jr., University Distinguished Service Professor, Emeritus, and former Dean, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University

Joseph Nye has served as Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, Chair of the National Intelligence Council, and Deputy Under Secretary of State for Security Assistance, Science and Technology. He is credited with coining the term "soft power." Foreign Policy named him one of the top 100 Global Thinkers. Read more.

Ms. Shanthi Kalathil, Director, International Forum for Democratic Studies, National Endowment for Democracy

Shanthi Kalathil previously served as a senior Democracy Fellow at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), an associate with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a non-resident associate with the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, and as a consultant for the World Bank, the Aspen Institute, and other international affairs organizations. Read more.

Moderator:

Ms. Jessica Ludwig, Research and Conferences Officer, International Forum for Democratic Studies, National Endowment for Democracy

Jessica Ludwig is the research and conferences officer at the International Forum for Democratic Studies at the National Endowment for Democracy. Read more.