A deeper, more unsettling layer of Scheppele’s analysis involves the human element. Autocratic legalism requires a surplus of legal talent. It needs lawyers, judges, and bureaucrats willing to draft the oppressive laws and stamp them as valid. Scheppele highlights that many of the legal maneuvers used in Hungary, Poland, and Turkey were executed by highly educated professionals who believed they were serving the state—or who were rewarded for their loyalty.
: Leaders maintain the "outer appearance" of democracy (like holding elections) while hollowing out its liberal content, making it difficult for international observers to categorize the regime as an autocracy early on. The University of Chicago Law Review 2. The Autocratic Script: 10 Steps autocratic legalism kim lane scheppele upd
Instead of traditional coups, autocratic legalists maintain the of law while destroying its substance . Key Pillars of Autocratic Legalism A deeper, more unsettling layer of Scheppele’s analysis