A Question of Order

In the midst of a complex global story of democratically-elected autocrats, Basharat Peer makes sense of what is going on in both countries....a very timely and important book. - Alex Cacioppo, The Huffington Post India is frequently described as the world's largest democracy, thus leaving the impression that the country has nothing in common with a place like Turkey. In just the past year, the latter has weathered an attempted coup, a large-scale purging of key institutions by the ruling regime, and a president who seems increasingly unstable. But as Basharat Peer makes clear in his new book, A Question of Order, the two places have more similarities than you might think. -- Isaac Chotiner, Slate Peer's illuminating little book provides a ground-level account of this phenomenon in India and Turkey, revealing striking parallels between the two cases....With a keen journalist's eye, Peer observes how various kinds of people--politicians, shopkeepers, intellectuals--experience these regime transitions. He finds that the most profound change is also the most subtle: a slow and sometimes imperceptible erosion of civic culture and political norms that undermines the democratic spirit. -- John Ikenberry, Foreign Affairs An impressive and sharply written book....Recent events in democracies of both East and West are stirring fears of destructive majoritarianism. Strongmen everywhere are rediscovering 'the art of converting citizens' fears and insecurities into electoral support.' This timely book sounds an ominous warning. -- William Armstrong, Hurriyet Daily News Peer's analysis of how these two strongmen have risen to supreme power in their respective countries is incisive and compelling. -- Los Angeles Review of Books A Kashmiri journalist examines a new generation of tyrants threatening the (illusory) promises of liberal democracy and astutely delineates a troubling global move toward the right wing. - Kirkus Reviews Basharat Peer's new book is impeccably timed. Amid all this loose talk of an authoritarian wave, an in-depth comparison of two oft-cited cases is welcome. - Bookforum