Autocratic Legalism Kim Lane Scheppele Upd [2021] -

Autocratic Legalism — Kim Lane Scheppele (UPD)

Consequences for democracy Autocratic legalism neutralizes institutional constraints while producing plausible deniability: leaders can claim to be acting lawfully. This erodes public trust, weakens independent institutions, and reduces avenues for peaceful political contestation. Over time, the legal system itself becomes an instrument of repression — impartial procedures exist, but outcomes are predictable. Internationally, autocratic legalism complicates foreign responses because actions often occur within a legal frame, making sanctions or interventions politically and legally fraught.

This tutorial explains the concept of autocratic legalism as developed and popularized by scholar Kim Lane Scheppele, situates it in broader authoritarian/legal theory, lays out its mechanisms, shows real-world examples and variants, and offers ways to analyze, detect, and respond to it. It is structured for readers who want a deep, practical understanding: policymakers, legal scholars, students, journalists, and civil-society actors. autocratic legalism kim lane scheppele upd

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