Continuity beyond the grave: Examining economic reform following the death of dictators

• In Event: Authoritarian Survival and Authoritarian Legacy

Brief Overview

This paper tests two propositions: generally, an autocrat’s death is unlikely to provoke economic liberalization, and in some cases, the reshuffling of elites following a succession will encourage reform as a tool by insiders to target rival elites.

Author

• Brent Hierman, Virginia Military Institute