The Return of the Men in Green: China, Russia and the New Militarization of Global Politics
Project Expert
About the Project
In the past decade, militaries around the world have become involved in domestic politics and public policy formulation at levels not seen since the Cold War. There are multiple reasons for this trend, but China and Russia have played a critical role in fomenting, enabling, and accelerating coups and other revivals of military power. China and Russia have enabled militaries to launch and sustain coups or helped militaries become involved in domestic politics, such as electoral campaigning. This global trend has a range of significant policy implications: for publics in affected countries, including their democracies, rights, political parties, and governance; for the broader future of the global balance between democracy and authoritarianism, as China in particular pushes for an alternative, authoritarian world order and control of more strategic assets and minerals; for U.S. policymakers and other democratic powers dealing with the influence of the major autocrats in important regions; and, for policymakers attempting to navigate the changing global order. The rise of global authoritarianism and militarization—and the novel discussion of China and Russia’s role in this militarization—will make for extensive and thoughtful discussions and ultimately a book on this subject.
This project is made possible by the generous support of the Diamonstein-Spielvogel Project on the Future of Democracy.