The illiberalism that darkened Iran before President Khatami's election in 1997 has not altogether returned.

ECONOMIST: The collapsing of Iranian reform

The view was repeatedly aired that Mr. Arafat's illiberalism would actually speed things along by crushing the more radical Palestinian factions.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Center For Security Policy

Judged over the past four years, not the past four weeks, he has done a great deal to modernise his party, stamping out social illiberalism, reducing the Europe-bashing and adding environmentalism.

ECONOMIST: The British election

Events precipitating illiberalism are not historically unknown.

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The tenor of his presidency would depend crucially on Congress: to restrain the social illiberalism and occasional isolationism of other Republicans, the best outcome would be a divided one, with the Democrats back in control of the House of Representatives.

ECONOMIST: Crunch time