The concept of autocracy is where one person governs with all the power, and that is defined by the author as “a political system, a way of structuring society, a means of organising power. It is not a genetic trait”.

Further: “No nation is condemned forever to autocracy, just as no nation is guaranteed democracy. Political systems do change.”

An international network of autocrats, argues the author, seek to subvert democracy in a decentralized global struggle, with shifting alliances and no monolithic forces of good and evil.

The focus is on illicit wealth creation and on those in democracies who enable it, along with the complacent who have done so little to stop the flood of fake news, and dirty money.

A kleptocracy is a society whose leaders make themselves rich and powerful, or consolidate their power, by stealing from the rest of the people. Kleptocracy and autocracy go together, reinforcing each other and any other institution they touch, says Applebaum.

The author is by no means fatalistic, urging free nations to confront the complicity of financial, legal and communications professionals in enabling the corruption.

It has to be noted, however, that the Text Credits at the end of the book refer to the sixteen articles in four separate magazines in which portions of the book had appeared previously.

The point to be made, however, is that these continuous commentaries by Applebaum concerned contemporary events which continued sufficiently for a general narrative.

Applebaum’s argument is both depressing and instructive, although on reading it apparently disparate events across the world do suddenly become extreme political theory in practice.  

Autocracy Inc: The Dictators Who Want to Run the World by Anne Applebaum. Published by Allen Lane, 228pp, £20.