One cause for this shift toward authoritarianism is that many countries no longer view the United States as a beacon of democracy and a model of stability and prosperity to be emulated. Putin’s claim that democratization is actually an American plot “to gain unilateral advantages” resonates with many societies following the disastrous invasion of Iraq and revelations about the National Security Agency’s spying on citizens and leaders worldwide.
专制主义转向的重要原因是许多国家不再将美国视为值得仿效的民主灯塔和繁荣稳定的榜样。在灾难性的入侵伊拉克和国家安全局对世界公民和领袖的暗中监视被无情揭露后，普京称民主化实际上是美国“攫取单边优势”的阴谋的说法得到了越来越多人的认同。