Scheppele Upd | Autocratic Legalism Kim Lane

They argue that because they were elected by "the people," any institution that opposes them (like a Supreme Court) is "anti-democratic." The "Blueprint" of Democratic Decay

Implementing regulations or tax laws that target critical media outlets or consolidate state-aligned media. autocratic legalism kim lane scheppele upd

Scheppele’s 2026 response: “Autocratic legalism is not the only weapon. But it is the most deceptive. It convinces international donors, domestic investors, and the mildly content middle class that nothing is wrong because everything is legal.” They argue that because they were elected by

Scheppele developed this concept primarily to analyze the post-2010 trajectories of: autocratic legalism kim lane scheppele upd