The Darkening Shadow: Dealmaking in an Eroding Democracy The United States' descent into "competitive authoritarianism" might be viewed as a partisan phenomenon, but scratch beneath the surface to find that this is less about personalities than a fundamental shift in how power operates.
Behind democratic institutions lies a complex web of deal making, where interests are brokered and outcomes predetermined.
The term "competitive authoritarianism" was coined by scholars Steven Levitsky and Lucan Way to describe regimes balancing democratic trappings with authoritarian practices.