On judges when the rule of law is under attack

A main question of the paper is why the courts, and the judiciary are such a main focus of those in power who attack liberal democracy today. First it adresses the connections between democratic decline and rule of law backsliding. Then it adresses some historical perspectives and compare the present situation to autocracies and totalitarian experiences in Europe in the twentieth century. Finally, it discusses different measures taken by autocratic rulers to limit judicial control, how to distinguish such measures from measures of legitimate legal reform, and how to counter such measures.