DYNAMICS OF AUTHORITARIAN REGIME PERSISTENCE

This study examines the processes through which authoritarian regimes in the twenty-first century have consolidated their institutional strength and maintained political stability, using a meta-analytical approach grounded in the existing scholarly literature. In the post–Cold War era, marked by the declining influence of democratization waves, authoritarian regimes have diversified not only in their formal structures but also in their strategies for sustainability. Within this framework, empirical studies published between 2000 and 2024 that contain robust data on the durability or collapse of authoritarian regimes have been systematically reviewed. The analysis reveals that regime loyalty within the security apparatus, levels of economic growth, and the cohesion of elite coalitions are the variables with the highest effect sizes in sustaining authoritarian regimes. In contrast, propaganda tools and external support appear to have a more limited impact. Comparative evaluations across regime types indicate that single-party regimes and electoral authoritarian systems tend to demonstrate greater durability. The findings suggest that authoritarian regimes persist not solely through mechanisms of repression but also via multilayered governance strategies involving strategic coalitions, institutional manipulation, and the distribution of economic resources. Overall, the study shows that authoritarian governance is upheld through a combination of coercive control, institutional flexibility, elite coordination, and resource management. In this respect, it aims to provide both theoretical and methodological contributions to the literature on political regimes.