44 | Voting under autocracies

44 | Voting under autocracies

From The Monkey Dance by The Monkey Dance

February 27, 2026 · 1h 21m · Episode 48

About this episode

The episode discusses the political obligations of democrats living under autocratic regimes and the implications of voting versus abstaining in protest.

When living under an autocratic regime, should we continue voting or abstain in protest? Zoltan Miklosi joins the podcast to talk about the political obligations of democrats who live under autocratic regimes. We discuss the consequences both of voting in elections despite the overwhelming odds in favor of the autocrat and of refusing to participate in elections in protest of the regime. We discuss specific cases of autocracies which hold elections around the world, about why they would hold elections in the first place, and what each side has to gain and to lose. We also chat about democracy as an ideal more broadly, and whether one has any obligations to the society or governance structure they live under. Guest: Zoltan Miklosi More from Zoltan: 1. Political Obligation in Electoral Authoritarianism: The Case of Hungary 2. Social Equality and Democratic Authority

People in this episode

Host: The Monkey Dance

Guest: Zoltan Miklosi

Topics covered

  • voting
  • autocracy
  • political obligation
  • democracy
  • elections
  • protest

Keywords

  • autocracy
  • voting
  • democracy
  • political obligation
  • elections
  • protest
  • Zoltan Miklosi

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Political Obligation in Electoral Authoritarianism: The Case of Hungary, Social Equality and Democratic Authority

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