Anne Applebaum

Even though it was an unfair election, even though they captured part of the legal system in the courts, even though they had taken over state media and so on, you know, nevertheless, it was still possible to defeat them. In Venezuela, Chavez was very popular when he was first elected. And he was legitimately elected, democratically elected leader. He was very popular. He appealed to the poor.

Even though it was an unfair election, even though they captured part of the legal system in the courts, even though they had taken over state media and so on, you know, nevertheless, it was still possible to defeat them. In Venezuela, Chavez was very popular when he was first elected. And he was legitimately elected, democratically elected leader. He was very popular. He appealed to the poor.

Even though it was an unfair election, even though they captured part of the legal system in the courts, even though they had taken over state media and so on, you know, nevertheless, it was still possible to defeat them. In Venezuela, Chavez was very popular when he was first elected. And he was legitimately elected, democratically elected leader. He was very popular. He appealed to the poor.

He did a lot of things, especially at the moment when oil prices were high, when he could give away a lot of money and other things to poor Venezuelans. Even as he was destroying the independent institutions of the state, even as he was wrecking the civil service, for example, Venezuela had a state oil industry.

He did a lot of things, especially at the moment when oil prices were high, when he could give away a lot of money and other things to poor Venezuelans. Even as he was destroying the independent institutions of the state, even as he was wrecking the civil service, for example, Venezuela had a state oil industry.

He did a lot of things, especially at the moment when oil prices were high, when he could give away a lot of money and other things to poor Venezuelans. Even as he was destroying the independent institutions of the state, even as he was wrecking the civil service, for example, Venezuela had a state oil industry.

He fired, I think it's like 19 or 20,000 people from it and replaced them with loyalists. That was the beginning of the end of their oil industry. even as all that was happening, I've seen some statistics that say even kind of 10 years into that process, many Venezuelans still believed they lived in a democracy, even as the institutions of their democracy were dying.

He fired, I think it's like 19 or 20,000 people from it and replaced them with loyalists. That was the beginning of the end of their oil industry. even as all that was happening, I've seen some statistics that say even kind of 10 years into that process, many Venezuelans still believed they lived in a democracy, even as the institutions of their democracy were dying.

He fired, I think it's like 19 or 20,000 people from it and replaced them with loyalists. That was the beginning of the end of their oil industry. even as all that was happening, I've seen some statistics that say even kind of 10 years into that process, many Venezuelans still believed they lived in a democracy, even as the institutions of their democracy were dying.

It really only became crystal clear when people understood that it was impossible to elect anyone else. And we've had several attempts of the Venezuelan opposition to elect someone else, including a recent one last fall, in which the opposition won and nevertheless were not allowed to take power. And now it's clear that Venezuela is a dictatorship, but that took well over a decade, 20 years.

It really only became crystal clear when people understood that it was impossible to elect anyone else. And we've had several attempts of the Venezuelan opposition to elect someone else, including a recent one last fall, in which the opposition won and nevertheless were not allowed to take power. And now it's clear that Venezuela is a dictatorship, but that took well over a decade, 20 years.

It really only became crystal clear when people understood that it was impossible to elect anyone else. And we've had several attempts of the Venezuelan opposition to elect someone else, including a recent one last fall, in which the opposition won and nevertheless were not allowed to take power. And now it's clear that Venezuela is a dictatorship, but that took well over a decade, 20 years.

But the main point is that very often as this is happening, there are many people who voted and were not voting for authoritarianism or autocracy or anything like that. In fact, I would say most people didn't think that's what they were voting for. So I'm not saying that that happened. The decline of the institutions won't bother them until at a later stage when we see the impact.

But the main point is that very often as this is happening, there are many people who voted and were not voting for authoritarianism or autocracy or anything like that. In fact, I would say most people didn't think that's what they were voting for. So I'm not saying that that happened. The decline of the institutions won't bother them until at a later stage when we see the impact.

But the main point is that very often as this is happening, there are many people who voted and were not voting for authoritarianism or autocracy or anything like that. In fact, I would say most people didn't think that's what they were voting for. So I'm not saying that that happened. The decline of the institutions won't bother them until at a later stage when we see the impact.

So as you begin to lose your independent civil service, your government declines and the capacity of the government to do things gets worse. This I saw in Poland. Once the civil service is selected for loyalty to the leader and not because they know how to identify and stop water pollution, then you begin to have a lot of water pollution. The state begins to decline and that can take a long time.

So as you begin to lose your independent civil service, your government declines and the capacity of the government to do things gets worse. This I saw in Poland. Once the civil service is selected for loyalty to the leader and not because they know how to identify and stop water pollution, then you begin to have a lot of water pollution. The state begins to decline and that can take a long time.

So as you begin to lose your independent civil service, your government declines and the capacity of the government to do things gets worse. This I saw in Poland. Once the civil service is selected for loyalty to the leader and not because they know how to identify and stop water pollution, then you begin to have a lot of water pollution. The state begins to decline and that can take a long time.

There will be many moments when a decline can be stopped, but it is something that all Americans should pay attention to. I mean, let's go back to the very beginning of this conversation. You know, what is an autocracy? An autocracy is a state where no checks and balances, where there's no parliament, there's no Congress to compete for power.

There will be many moments when a decline can be stopped, but it is something that all Americans should pay attention to. I mean, let's go back to the very beginning of this conversation. You know, what is an autocracy? An autocracy is a state where no checks and balances, where there's no parliament, there's no Congress to compete for power.