Today, we examine how modern authoritarians undermine civil society by making participation in independent institutions costly, rather than outright banning them.
Specifically, we highlight recent executive actions in the United States that have targeted law firms, universities, and students, arguing these actions are driven by personal grievances and an intent to suppress dissent. This approach is exemplified by freezing university funding, canceling student visas based on political speech, and pressuring law firms for representing disfavored clients.
We also draw comparisons to tactics used in Hungary, Turkey, and India, where similar strategies of legal and financial pressure have been employed to silence critics and weaken democratic safeguards.
