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Cited by 1,053Political Conflict and GovernancePolitical Theory and DemocracyInternational Relations and Foreign Policy

The three pillars of stability: Legitimation, repression, and co-optation in autocratic regimes

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Gerschewski, Johannes·2013·Democratization
DOI 10.1080/13510347.2013.738860
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Abstract

Why do some autocracies remain stable while others collapse? This article presents a theoretical framework that seeks to explain the longevity of autocracies by referring to three pillars of stability: legitimation, repression, and co-optation. These three causal factors are derived by distilling and synthesizing the main arguments of classic and more recent research efforts. Particular emphasis is paid to re-incorporate legitimation in the explanation of stable autocracies. The article conceptionalizes the three pillars and discusses methods of concrete measurement. It then moves on to explain the stabilization process. How do these pillars develop their stabilizing effect? It is argued that reinforcement processes take place both within and between the pillars. They take the form of exogenous reinforcement, self-reinforcement, and reciprocal reinforcement. To illustrate the inner logic of these processes, I draw on empirical examples. I also state what we would need to observe empirically and how we can approach the three pillars methodically. A theoretical framework of this nature has two advantages: it is able to take the complexity of autocratic regimes into account while remaining parsimonious enough to be applicable to all autocratic regimes, irrespective of their subtype; and it integrates a static view to explain stability, with the emphasis on the underlying stabilization mechanisms and facilitates within-case and cross-case comparisons.

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Research works printed but not linked: 19

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  3. Deeg, "Complementarity and Institutional Change", 612. Originally published in: Democratization, Vol. 20 (2013) Iss. 1, pp. 34.
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  7. Bertocchi, Graziella, and Michal Spagat. "Politics of Co-optation." Journal of Comparative Economics 29 (2001): 591-607.
  8. Crouch, Colin. "Three Meanings of Complementarity." Socio-Economic Review 3 (2005): 359-363.
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  19. Suh, Dae-Sook. Leadership and Political Culture in North Korea. Seoul: Yonsei University Press, 2000.

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Authors
Gerschewski, J.
Affiliations
WZB Berlin Social Science Center (DE)
Corresponding author
Gerschewski, Johannes
ORCID
Gerschewski, Johannes
Venue
Democratization
Publisher
Informa UK Limited
Published
2013-01
Volume
20
Issue
1
Pages
13-38
ISSN
  • 1351-0347 (ISSN-L)
  • 1743-890X
DOI
10.1080/13510347.2013.738860
OpenAlex
W2084242050
Cited by
1,053
References
95
Citations by year
2026: 89 · 2025: 157 · 2024: 87 · 2023: 115 · 2022: 129 · 2021: 142 · 2020: 99 · 2019: 49 · 2018: 52 · 2017: 54 · 2016: 39 · 2015: 24 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 6
FWCI
82.59
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Democratization (publishedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • Social Science Open Access Repository (GESIS – Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences) (submittedVersion)
  • Econstor (Econstor) (submittedVersion)
Funders
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Political Conflict and Governance
  • Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › Political Theory and Democracy
  • Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › International Relations and Foreign Policy
Keywords
authoritarian regimes, regime stability, regime longevity, legitimation, repression, co-optation, stabilization mechanism, self-reinforcement, authoritarian regime collapse, regime typology

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