Anecdotal analysis of different countries’ responses to the COVID-19 pandemic has often pitted major autocracies like China against large democracies like the United States. This common media narrative typically notes how China has been more successful in curbing COVID-19, whereas the United States has struggled to mount an effective federal response to the pandemic. This comparison has led some academics to investigate whether autocracies (or dictatorships) are better at handling crises like COVID-19 than are democracies.

Regime Type and COVID-19 Response

Autocratization—sometimes known as de-democratization—is the process wherein a country’s political system becomes increasingly autocratic (or decreasingly democratic). Autocratization can occur suddenly with severe drops in the quality of a country’s democracy (such as through a dictator seizing power in a coup), or it can occur gradually (such as through the process of democratic erosion).

Autocratization

Research in comparative politics encompasses a wide range of topics, including how different governments respond to emergencies (such as the COVID-19 pandemic), processes of democratic erosion, the rise and fall of autocratic regimes, global democratization movements, party systems, and electoral systems.

Wesleyan University

Google

The study and comparison of political systems around the world, particularly of countries other than one’s own.

Comparative Politics

The following concepts are essential for understanding other concepts in comparative politics:
- The distinction between nations, states, and nation-states
- The difference between sovereignty, authority, and legitimacy
- The definition of a regime and the definition of different regime types

Learn Before

Related

Learn After