Reparative Justice in Authoritarian States

Abstract

Wong examines the normative responsibilities of citizens in authoritarian states to address the injustices perpetrated by their governments. He challenges prevailing assumptions in political philosophy, arguing that certain citizens, by virtue of their agency and authorisation of their states, bear responsibilities to compensate, oppose, commemorate, or apologise over injustices that take place in such states. The book explores the relationship between authoritarian regimes and the citizens who enable or endure them, offering a fresh perspective on questions of reparative justice, moral agency, and accountability in contexts where state actors fail to meet their obligations. Drawing upon political philosophy, history, sociology, and international relations, it adopts a richly interdisciplinary approach for understanding citizen liability in authoritarian states. Case studies encompassing historical examples such as the Soviet Union, Indonesia under Suharto, South Korea under Park Chung-hee, through to contemporary cases such as the Iranian, Myanmar, and Russian states, bridge theory and lived experiences, illuminating the complex dynamics of justice in non-democratic contexts. The advancement of a novel General Authorisation View offers original insights that extend beyond authoritarian regimes, addressing broader implications of reparative justice for all regime types. Posing critical questions about the evolving responsibilities of citizens in shaping just societies, this is an indispensable resource for scholars and students of political philosophy, international relations, and empirical political science as well as those interested in authoritarianism, reform in non-democratic contexts, and global justice.