Unpredictability is encoded in the DNA of autocracy, but its implications are complex and not well understood. Drawing on an impressive synthesis of recent research and deep case studies from the Soviet Union, Russia and Kazakhstan, Alexander Libman demonstrates that unpredictability is not just a feature of autocracy; it is also a tool that leaders use to frustrate citizens and academic observers alike. Random Dictatorships: Unpredictability of Authoritarian Politics in Eurasia overflows with rich insights on autocracy and how we study it. It is required reading for anyone interested in the topic.

Tim Frye, Columbia University, USA

Alexander Libman, in his new and refreshingly epistemologically honest book, drawing from in-depth studies of several Eurasian dictatorships, underlines not only that the politics and policies in dictatorships are often random but also offers a theoretically grounded explanation for why the murkiness and occasional unpredictability of authoritarian politics is a built-in feature, not a bug. Random Dictatorships is a tour de force that manages to hit the sweet spot between the rigor and generalizability of comparative authoritarianism approach and the area studies' expert knowledge of how dictatorships really work.

Alexander Baturo, author of The New Kremlinology: Understanding Regime Personalization in Russia

Time and again, social scientists are left flummoxed by the unpredictable behavior of autocrats. Alexander Libman offers an insightful and provocative explanation for why this is so. Drawing on case studies of surprising decisions by post-Soviet autocrats-most prominently Vladimir Putin's decision to invade Ukraine- Libman argues that the opaqueness and secrecy of autocratic regimes impedes our ability to make accurate predictions about their future behavior. Like few others, this book poses a constructive challenge to all scholars of authoritarian regimes and should be read and debated widely.

Ora John Reuter, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, USA