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Alberto Fujimori was the authoritarian president of Peru from 1990 to 2000. Levitsky and Ziblatt use his presidency as an example of why “democratic breakdown doesn’t need a blueprint”—Fujimori never thought he would win the presidency, but ended up getting elected as part of the public’s rebellion against the political establishment. Facing a number of simultaneous crises and significant opposition from the media and political establishment, Fujimori responded by trying to overrule congress and playing constitutional hardball. He ultimately dissolved congress, had his advisor Vladimiro Montesinos bribe other politicians and media figures in exchange for their support, and encouraged the military to commit crimes against humanity as part of its campaign against the Shining Path guerilla group. Fujimori’s rule shows how crisis primes nations for autocracy and leaders can choose authoritarian tactics for pragmatic reasons, in order to achieve their agenda in a divided and dysfunctional government.
Alberto Fujimori Quotes in How Democracies Die
The How Democracies Die quotes below are all either spoken by Alberto Fujimori or refer to Alberto Fujimori. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 1
Quotes
A cast of political outsiders, including Adolf Hitler, Getúlio Vargas in Brazil, Alberto Fujimori in Peru, and Hugo Chávez in Venezuela, came to power on the same path: from the inside, via elections or alliances with powerful political figures. In each instance, elites believed the invitation to power would contain the outsider, leading to a restoration of control by mainstream politicians. But their plans backfired. A lethal mix of ambition, fear, and miscalculation conspired to lead them to the same fateful mistake: willingly handing over the keys of power to an autocrat-in-the-making.
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Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 4
Quotes
Although some elected demagogues take office with a blueprint for autocracy, many, such as Fujimori, do not. Democratic breakdown doesn’t need a blueprint. Rather, as Peru’s experience suggests, it can be the result of a sequence of unanticipated events—an escalating tit-for-tat between a demagogic, norm-breaking leader and a threatened political establishment.
[…]
Many [demagogues] do eventually cross the line from words to action. This is because a demagogue’s initial rise to power tends to polarize society, creating a climate of panic, hostility, and mutual distrust. The new leader’s threatening words often have a boomerang effect. If the media feels threatened, it may abandon restraint and professional standards in a desperate effort to weaken the government. And the opposition may conclude that, for the good of the country, the government must be removed via extreme measures—impeachment, mass protest, even a coup.
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Explanation and Analysis:
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Alberto Fujimori Quotes in How Democracies Die
The How Democracies Die quotes below are all either spoken by Alberto Fujimori or refer to Alberto Fujimori. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 1
Quotes
A cast of political outsiders, including Adolf Hitler, Getúlio Vargas in Brazil, Alberto Fujimori in Peru, and Hugo Chávez in Venezuela, came to power on the same path: from the inside, via elections or alliances with powerful political figures. In each instance, elites believed the invitation to power would contain the outsider, leading to a restoration of control by mainstream politicians. But their plans backfired. A lethal mix of ambition, fear, and miscalculation conspired to lead them to the same fateful mistake: willingly handing over the keys of power to an autocrat-in-the-making.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 4
Quotes
Although some elected demagogues take office with a blueprint for autocracy, many, such as Fujimori, do not. Democratic breakdown doesn’t need a blueprint. Rather, as Peru’s experience suggests, it can be the result of a sequence of unanticipated events—an escalating tit-for-tat between a demagogic, norm-breaking leader and a threatened political establishment.
[…]
Many [demagogues] do eventually cross the line from words to action. This is because a demagogue’s initial rise to power tends to polarize society, creating a climate of panic, hostility, and mutual distrust. The new leader’s threatening words often have a boomerang effect. If the media feels threatened, it may abandon restraint and professional standards in a desperate effort to weaken the government. And the opposition may conclude that, for the good of the country, the government must be removed via extreme measures—impeachment, mass protest, even a coup.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
