Autocrats are trying to export autocracy. Targeted action against particular people helps create a broad climate of fear. Tyrannical regimes know that self-censorship the pre-emptive quashing of dissent is their most powerful tool. Over the past 30 years open borders have created vastly larger diasporas in foreign lands. Technology has amplified individuals’ voices and their connection to their homeland, but also enabled monitoring, intimidation and censorship by distant governments. The result is that the world’s autocracies can now plausibly aspire to control ideas and large numbers of people abroad as well as at home. Do you think that having autocracies and democracies at the same time creates a balance ?

