Making a Career in Dictatorship: The Secret Logic Behind Repression and Coups

Author/Contributor(s):	Glassel, Christian
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Date:	02/13/2026
Binding:	Paperback
Condition:	NEW

Making a Career in Dictatorship examines the inner workings of dictatorial governments to offer a unified theory explaining which officers participate in repression or in coups--and most importantly, why they do it. Drawing on unprecedented data from inside an authoritarian security apparatus, the book exposes how mundane career pressures--rather than sadism or ideological conviction--drive officers toward extreme loyalty or outright rebellion. And it offers a warning: even in established democracies, weaponized career pressures can lead to catastrophic consequences.