‘Every election is now existential’. This was the deeply profound start to historian and writer Anne Applebaum’s event at Wimbledon Bookfest – setting the scene for the provocative conversation surrounding her best-selling new work Autocracy Inc. 

Anne provided a clear explanation of an autocracy – a system of government by one person with absolute power. She spoke about current autocracies, such as Russia and China, but also discussed the prospects of democratic administrations like America, assessing whether the path it has chosen to go down will also lead to an autocracy. 

My favourite segment was when she was asked if the rise of fascist supporters in the West was similar to that of 1930s Germany, to which she agreed to an extent – the extent being a completely different environment. She explained that the rise of billionaires has given more people a reason to work with powers such as Putin, in order to access vast amounts of wealth. This shifts the dynamic, as most people supported fascist dictators out of fear, whereas today, many support them for monetary gain. 

However, Anne did not leave the audience in a state of fear and despair; highlighting the weaknesses of autocracies, the main one being their own corruption. Despite media propaganda, it’s clear that many people living under autocracy oppose these oppressive regimes, as we’ve seen in Venezuela, where many people are actively and creatively protesting against the administrations in power. The unpopularity of these systems points to a future in which they collapse upon themselves.

To conclude, this talk was eye-opening to subjects that I otherwise wouldn’t have paid as much attention to. As a youth, it was very inspiring to see someone so clearly well-versed in their chosen topic. I hope someday to be just as eloquent and articulate as Anne about the things I feel passionately about.