pPutting the current crisis of democracy into historical perspective, emDeath by a Thousand Cutsem chronicles how would-be despots, dictators, and outright tyrants have finessed the techniques of killing democracies earlier in history, in the 20supthsup Century, and how today's autocrats increasingly continue to do so in the 21supstsup. It shows how autocratic government becomes a kleptocracy, sustained only to enrich the ruler and his immediate family. But the book also addresses the problems of being a dictator and considers if dictatorships are successful in delivering public policies, and finally, how autocracies break down. p pWe tend to think of democratic breakdowns as dramatic events, such as General Pinochet's violent coup in Chile, or emGeneralissimoem Franco's overthrow of the Spanish Republic. But this is not how democracies tend to die - only five percent of democracies end like this. Most often, popular government is brought down gradually almost imperceptibly. Based in p