A New Dataset for the Study of Political Elites in Electoral Autocracies

Dictators often use parliaments, elections, and cabinets to ensure regime survival. Although much research examines the origins and effects of such institutions, we know far less about the elites who occupy political office and and how their choices either entrench dictatorship or open paths to democratization. To remedy this gap, this study introduces a new dataset of political elites in electoral autocracies based on yearly fine-grained information on the political careers of 35,562 legislators, deputy heads and ministers in 28 electoral autocracies. In addition to describing the dataset's content, the paper details the data collection efforts and key variables' validity as well as illustrates how the dataset can address key questions, such as the relationship between economic growth and regime change via divisions within the authoritarian government. The findings suggest new research avenues in the field of authoritarianism, party systems, elite studies, opposition alliances, and democratization.