How to Almost Honestly Win an Election

There are two ways to achieve victory in elections: honestly and not quite honestly. In the honest way, there is an open and fair struggle for voters’ votes, while the not quite honest approach involves manipulating public opinion, intimidating opponents, and violations at polling stations.

Well-known political scientists Nick Cheezman and Brian Claas studied different methods that help maintain power for longer. They analyzed the experience of various countries and concluded that holding elections regularly is more effective than banning them—provided the elections are conducted in the right way.