Understanding Authoritarianism Why Dictators Get Worse Over Time

Description

Kaushik Basu
Professor of Economics and Carl Marks Professor of International Studies
Cornell University

The rise of authoritarian leaders around the world has given rise to a host of questions about the genesis of the power of such leaders, how they quell dissent and why such leaders often morph into tyrants. We also have examples of political leaders who come to power with genuine interest in doing good and curbing corruption but end up perpetuating the very ills that they wanted to cure. These questions and themes go far back into history but there is a resurgence of interest in them. The aim of this lecture will be to address some these urgent questions of our time by drawing on contemporary methods of analysis. The lecture will also speculate about the scope for creating constitutions and institutions that curb authoritarianism.

Lecturer:

Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada

Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon was sworn in on July 26, 2021, as Canada’s first Indigenous governor general. She is the 30th governor general since Confederation.

Mary Simon was born on August 21, 1947, in Kangiqsualujjuaq, Nunavik (Quebec), to Nancy May (Angnatuk-Askew), her Inuk mother, and Bob Mardon May, her father, who moved to the Arctic to work for the Hudson’s Bay Company.

Ms. Simon gained national and international recognition for her work on Arctic and Indigenous issues and for her efforts in advocating for Inuit rights, youth, education and culture.

Ms. Simon began her career as a radio broadcaster with the CBC Northern Service (now CBC North) in the 1970s. Following this, she held a series of executive positions with the Northern Quebec Inuit Association (now Makivik Corporation) and Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, which centred on negotiating the first land claims agreement in Canada, the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement. As president of Makivik Corporation, she was directly involved with the implementation of the agreement, along with the protection and promotion of Inuit rights.