
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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