Resources
Buddhist Monks Defect from Myanmar’s Military Dictatorship
From 1962-2011, and again since 2021, Myanmar (Burma) has been formally ruled by military autocrats employing extreme brutality to maintain control. As around 90% of Myanmar identifies as Buddhist, Buddhist...
The Egyptian Military Defects During the Arab Spring
Between 1981-2011 Egypt was under the authoritarian rule of Hosni Mubarak, with the military serving as a key pillar of support. Yet when Egyptians began organizing mass anti-government protests, the...
South African Clergy Support Early Defections from Apartheid
Christian clergy played an important role in creating, supporting, and eventually disrupting apartheid in South Africa. Immediately post-1948, despite the threat of repression, there were a few examples of defiance,...
The Chilean Security Sector Defects from the Pinochet Dictatorship
In 1973, a group of military officers led by General Augusto Pinochet and supported by the United States government overthrew Chile’s democratically elected, socialist president, Salvador Allende. During the transition,...
Introducing the Pillars of Support Project
*By Adam Fefer In both the United States and abroad, political leaders have undermined democratic institutions and norms as part of a nearly two-decade global trend of rising authoritarianism. From the...
Tunisian Unions Support the Arab Spring
The Tunisian General Labour Union’s (UGTT) well-established and far-reaching infrastructure enabled it to play an indispensable role in Tunisia’s revolution. While the UGTT was originally a core pillar upholding autocracy...
Brazilian Religious Leaders and Democratic Backsliding
Jair Bolsonaro won the 2018 election in large part because of support from Evangelicals, which had the surprising and encouraging impact of galvanizing pro-democracy efforts by Catholics, despite norms enforced...
Philippines Armed Forces Resist a Dictatorship
The armed forces served as a key pillar propping up President Ferdinand Marcos’ dictatorship in the Philippines from 1965-86. After another unfree election in 1986, a dissatisfied military faction, called...
Teachers in Hungary Oppose Democratic Backsliding
One key target of democratic backsliding in Hungary is the education system. The dismissal of five teachers in 2022 for striking galvanized tens of thousands of teachers, parents, and students...