Democratic frustration drives dangerous fantasies about authoritarian alternatives. Yet examination of actual dictatorships—from Saudi Arabia's repression to China's surveillance state—reveals democracy's irreplaceable value. Even flawed democracies permit dissent, self-correction, and personal freedom. History demonstrates that "mild" autocracies inevitably tighten control. Democracy's messiness remains civilization's best defense against tyranny's seductive promises.RetryClaude can make mistakes. Please double-check responses.

