Mass unrest only rarely leads to regime collapse because it determines, and is simultaneously determined by, the mix of co-optation and repression chosen by authoritarian governments. Policy miscalculations which allow for uprisings to destabilize regimes are possible, but uncommon and quickly...

Theories of authoritarianism assert that autocratic governments follow repressive and redistributive policies which impede mass mobilization and mitigate economic grievances to prevent regime instability. However, policy formulation and implementation remain opaque and under-theorized elements...