On optimism

Lessons from Venezuela

I dedicated my recent book, Autocracy Inc, “to the optimists.” Since it was published, I’ve been repeatedly asked why. It’s such a dark book, readers and interviewers say: how can you be optimistic?

In fact, that’s the wrong question. For one, I don’t think it’s a dark book, just a realistic one. Also, the dedication is not about me. It’s rather an expr…