Zack Beauchamp

Zack Beauchamp @zackbeauchamp

In both countries, elections in 2022 seemed likely to precipitate some kind of disaster. But in both cases, authoritarian-inclined candidates lost key elections and (mostly) departed without much damage. Why? — PolitiTweet.org

Zack Beauchamp @zackbeauchamp

If authoritarian regimes had a bad year, what about democracies? Did the long-term trend towards democratic erosion, documented in this report, end? https://t.co/BuBWcX1Grb Not exactly. But there were hopeful signs in two of the world's biggest democracies: Brazil and the US — PolitiTweet.org

Zack Beauchamp @zackbeauchamp

The canonical explanation of these authoritarian problems comes from Amartya Sen's examination of famines. Sen identifies the root causes of not just famines, but authoritarian policy error in general — failings on display this year in Russia, China, and Iran https://t.co/tqO5vsH8XG — PolitiTweet.org

Zack Beauchamp @zackbeauchamp

This is not an accident: the very structure of authoritarian regimes makes them more prone to this kind of failure than democratic ones. Their leaders are insulated from accurate information and don't always have incentives to make good policy choices. — PolitiTweet.org

Zack Beauchamp @zackbeauchamp

There were many reasons specific to each country for these disasters. But there was also an overriding similarity: a failure to properly assess information, and a dogged willingness to stick to failing policies despite clear evidence that things weren't going well. — PolitiTweet.org

Zack Beauchamp @zackbeauchamp

First, this was a year of policy failures for authoritarian governments. The war in Ukraine is the obvious example, but there were other important examples — like China's zero Covid policy — that blew up in various regime's faces. — PolitiTweet.org

Zack Beauchamp @zackbeauchamp

THREAD: At year's end, 2022 has turned out a lot better than many people expected. I want to talk about two of the deep reasons why — old knowledge, hard won in the 20th century, about the fundamental nature of democracy and authoritarianism https://t.co/y9gP8ITWLU — PolitiTweet.org

Zack Beauchamp @zackbeauchamp

THREAD: At year's end, 2022 has turned out a lot better than many people expected. I want to talk about two of the deep reasons why — old knowledge, hard won in the 20th century, about the fundamental nature of democracy and authoritarianism — PolitiTweet.org

Zack Beauchamp @zackbeauchamp

@jbouie this is straight up sovereign citizens stuff — PolitiTweet.org

Zack Beauchamp @zackbeauchamp

My 2022 year-in-review piece about the state of global democracy. It was, all things considered, a pretty good year https://t.co/y9gP8IToWm — PolitiTweet.org

Zack Beauchamp @zackbeauchamp

2022 turned out to be a surprisingly good year for democracy — and a bad one for autocrats https://t.co/2XUTcG4zCd — PolitiTweet.org

Zack Beauchamp @zackbeauchamp

Folks, please find me on Mastodon - [email protected] - if you’re done with Musk and looking for another way to keep up — PolitiTweet.org

Zack Beauchamp @zackbeauchamp

Never too early for driving lessons https://t.co/FFcaevNNfS — PolitiTweet.org

Zack Beauchamp @zackbeauchamp

Pretty amazing for Taibbi to do one of these when Musk is busy making a mockery of their premise — PolitiTweet.org

Zack Beauchamp @zackbeauchamp

Fell asleep last night reading Carl Schmitt. The dreams were weird — PolitiTweet.org

Zack Beauchamp @zackbeauchamp

@jbouie [email protected] (can’t just put the instance or Twitter will block it. But honestly instance hasn’t mattered much in my experience, easy to connect to people off it — PolitiTweet.org

Zack Beauchamp @zackbeauchamp

@edokonrad @simonerzim Israeli left was playing normal democratic politics while the right was playing a more vicious Schmittian game — PolitiTweet.org

Zack Beauchamp @zackbeauchamp

@jbouie I had a hard time getting into Mastodon, but now I kind of like it! — PolitiTweet.org

Zack Beauchamp @zackbeauchamp

Listening to @gabrielwinant on @KnowYrEnemyPod. His distinction between the “concept” of the working class and the “example,” meaning historically specific kinds of working class professions and life worlds, is really clarifying - especially as it relates to right-wing populism — PolitiTweet.org

Zack Beauchamp @zackbeauchamp

A New York Times quiz just told me I failed to correctly identify Japan's former prime minister because I wrote "Abe Shinzo" rather than "Shinzo Abe." Punishing me for correctly Anglicizing, rude! — PolitiTweet.org

Zack Beauchamp @zackbeauchamp

So far, I've found Mastodon to be a much better Twitter alternative than Post. A lot of engagement with posts on Mastodon, whereas Post feels like a (pretty) ghost town — PolitiTweet.org

Zack Beauchamp @zackbeauchamp

A reminder, folks: if you're looking tor Twitter alternatives, you can find me on Mastodon at [email protected] or on Post as @zackbeauchamp — PolitiTweet.org

Zack Beauchamp @zackbeauchamp

A reminder, folks: if you're quitting Twitter, you can find me on Mastodon at [email protected] — PolitiTweet.org

Zack Beauchamp @zackbeauchamp

Anyway I’ll probably stick around here too, until it fully becomes Elon’s Truth Social, and even then probably — PolitiTweet.org

Zack Beauchamp @zackbeauchamp

If you’re looking for me on other platforms: Mastodon: [email protected] Post: @zackbeauchamp — PolitiTweet.org

Zack Beauchamp @zackbeauchamp

@chrislhayes agree — PolitiTweet.org

Zack Beauchamp @zackbeauchamp

@DavidAstinWalsh who is defending him that you would still describe as still being on the left? — PolitiTweet.org

Zack Beauchamp @zackbeauchamp

@gaywonk it legit inspired me to found a new d&d group — PolitiTweet.org

Zack Beauchamp @zackbeauchamp

@gaywonk this show is so fucking good — PolitiTweet.org

Zack Beauchamp @zackbeauchamp

Important to remember with him that the grift always comes first, everything else second — PolitiTweet.org