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"In order to truly understand the emergence, endurance and legacy of autocracy, this volume of engaging essays explores how autocratic power is acquired, exercised and transferred or abruptly ended, through the careers and politics of influential figures in more than 20 countries and six regions. The book looks at both traditional 'hard' dictators such as Hitler, Stalin and Mao, and more modern 'soft' or populist autocrats, who are in the process of transforming once fully democratic countries into autocratic states, including Erdogan in Turkey, Brasilian leader Bolsonaro, Duterte in the Philippines, Modi in India, and Orban in Hungary. The authors touch on a wide range of autocratic and dictatorial figures in past and present, including present-day autocrats, such as Putin and Xi Jinping, military leaders, and democratic leaders with authoritarian aspirations. They analyze the transition of selected autocrats from democratic or benign semi-democratic systems to harsher forms of autocracy, with either quite disastrous or more successful outcomes. An ideal reader for students and scholars, as well as the general public, interested in international affairs, leadership studies, contemporary history and politics, global studies, security studies, economics, psychology, and behavioral studies"--

Introduction -- 1. Golden age : years of reconstruction -- 2. Thinking of Europe and beyond : Nixon and Kissinger's priorities -- 3. Special relationships : a journey to a continent in transition -- 4. Living with deficits : economic predicaments -- 5. Downward spiral : monetary turmoil and the end of the old order -- 6 Turning point : the United States and the end of "benign hegemony" -- Conclusion.

"The United States has long been conflicted between promoting a united Western Europe in order to strengthen its defense of the West, and fearing that a more united Western Europe might not submit to American political and economic leadership. The era of wholehearted support for European unity was limited to the immediate postwar era. The stances of the past three U.S. presidents--Bush's unilateralism, Obama's insistence on 'leading from behind,' and Trump's overt hostility toward the European Union--were prefigured by Washington's economic and geopolitical strategies of the 1960s and 1970s. Concentrating on the policies of Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger, Klaus Larres argues that their years in office were the major turning point when 'benign hegemony' gave way to an attitude toward Europe that was seldom better than lukewarm, frequently even outright hostile, and that was returned in kind. This book offers an unusually clear and comprehensive examination of transatlantic relations during the Nixon era."--

Introduction. Dictators and Autocrats: A Global PhenomenonKlaus LarresAbstracts: 23 Dictators and Autocrats of Our TimesTHE NOTORIOUS THREE1. Joseph Stalin: Autocrat par excellence (The Soviet Union)Hiroaki Kuromiya 2. Adolf Hitler: From Democracy to Dictatorship (Germany)Eric Kurlander3. Mao Zedong: Communist Party Dictatorship (China)Covell F. MeyskensPATHBREAKING AUTOCRATS OF THE 20TH CENTURY4. Fidel Castro: From Grassroots Dictatorship to Communist Autocracy (Cuba)Lilian Guerra5. Augusto Pinochet: The Emergence of One-Man Rule (Chile)Patricio Silva6. Robert Mugabe: Ruthless Authoritarian who Preferred Democratic Clothing (Zimbabwe)Richard Bourne 7. Joseph Kabila: the Raïs of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo)Charles Tshimanga-Kashama 8. Hugo Chávez: Was he an Autocrat? (Venezuela)Gabriel Hetland9. Lee Kuan Yew: Autocracy, Elections, and Capitalism (Singapore)Michael Barr 21ST CENTURY AUTOCRATS -- THE MAJOR POWERS 10. Vladimir Putin: Russia's Neo-Patrimonial Façade Democracy (Russia)Allen J. Lynch11. Xi Jinping: The Rise of an Authoritarian Leader (China)Johnny Erling12. Narendra Modi: Elected Authoritarian (India)Ian Hall13. Donald J. Trump: The Authoritarian Style in American Politics (USA)Klaus Larres21ST CENTURY AUTOCRATS -- OTHER INFLUENTIAL AUTOCRATS14. Ali Hosseini Khamenei: Routinizing Revolution (Iran)Kjetil Selvik15. The Assad Dynasty: Quo Vadis Damascus? (Syria)Moshe Ma'oz16. Kim Jong un: Rise to Power and Leadership Style (North Korea)Rachel M. Lee17. Abd al Fattah al Sisi: The One and Only Egyptian Dictator (Egypt)Robert Springborg 18. Prayuth Chan-o-cha: From the Barracks to the Ballot Box (Thailand)Pasuth Thothaveesansuk19. Muhammad bin Salman Al-Saud: King in All But Name (Saudi Arabia)Christopher Davidson20. János Kádár and Viktor Orbán: From Communist to Post-Communist Autocracy (Hungary)Andras Bozoki 21. Recep Tayyip Erdogan: From Illiberal Democracy to Electoral Authoritarianism (Turkey)Howard Eissenstat22. Rodrigo Duterte: Macho Populism and Authoritarian Practice (Philippines)Nicole Curato and Yvan Ysmael Yonaha23. Jair Bolsonaro: Beyond the Pale, Above the Fray (Brazil)Andre Pagliarini

In order to truly understand the emergence, endurance, and legacy of autocracy, this volume of engaging essays explores how autocratic power is acquired, exercised, and transferred or abruptly ended through the careers and politics of influential figures in more than 20 countries and six regions. The book looks at both traditional "hard" dictators, such as Hitler, Stalin, and Mao, and more modern "soft" or populist autocrats, who are in the process of transforming once fully democratic countries into autocratic states, including Recep Tayyip Erdoan in Turkey, Brazilian leader Jair Bolsonaro, Rodrigo Duterte in the Philippines, Narendra Modi in India, and Viktor Orbn in Hungary. The authors touch on a wide range of autocratic and dictatorial figures in the past and present, including present-day autocrats, such as Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, military leaders, and democratic leaders with authoritarian aspirations. They analyze the transition of selected autocrats from democratic or benign semi-democratic systems to harsher forms of autocracy, with either quite disastrous or more successful outcomes. An ideal reader for students and scholars, as well as the general public, interested in international affairs, leadership studies, contemporary history and politics, global studies, security studies, economics, psychology, and behavioral studies.

A Companion to Europe Since 1945 provides a stimulating guide to numerous important developments which have influenced the political, economic, social, and cultural character of Europe during and since the Cold War.:.; Includes 22 original essays by an international team of expert scholars.; Examines the social, intellectual, economic, cultural, and political changes that took place throughout Europe in the Cold War and Post Cold War periods.; Discusses a wide range of topics including the Single Market, European-American relations, family life and employment, globalization, consumption, polit

Almost a decade after the opening of the Berlin Wall, the collapse of the GDR and the end of the Cold War, Germany has begun to cope with the political, economic, social and nationalistic challenges unification has posed to its institutions and way of life in both the western and eastern part of the once divided country. The books' nine authors, all experts in their field, analyse the way united Germany has tackled the many unforeseen problems and highlight Germany's slow adjustment to the new realities. The emergence of a new economic, political and perhaps military superstate as feared by many in 1990 has not materialised. Instead, Germany today is only just coping with the domestic and external challenges of unification. The economic and social integration of the former East Germany may yet take another 10 to 15 years. This timely and well-researched book outlines the many challenges facing Germany and its European neighbours in the post-Cold War world

The much-praised "special relationship" between the US and the UK has had little, if any, relevance for President Donald Trump. After the Brexit referendum of June 2016 Prime Minister Theresa May and many of the "Brexiteers" in the Conservative Party hoped that a rejuvenation of relations with the U.S., perhaps by means of free trade treaty, would counter-balance any loss of political and economic influence due to the UK's departure from the European Union. Some of Trump's rhetoric seemed to indicate this. He repeatedly praised the country for its desire to get back "its sovereignty" and "control over its borders." In reality Trump was so focused on the realization of his "America First" policy that it was unlikely that he would be inclined to grant any special favors or generous trade terms to the UK, "special relationship" or not.