There are several takeaways that Svolik reminds the readers of by the end. Primarily that in explaining the functionality of authoritarian rule, Svolik claims that authoritarian politics essentially revolve around the two main conflicts discussed previously, power-sharing, and control. That to answer to the differences in regimes, leaders, institutions, etc. one must realize that, according to Svolik, authoritarian politics takes place upon a backdrop of a dismal political environment, one where violence is never off the table. The empiricism of such a claim that is, I believe, sufficiently supported over the course of reading his book. The other questions Svolik sought to answer empirically is why dictators preside over policy disasters, why dictatorships almost never solve succession problems, and Svolik also analyzes what the future may look like in the Middle East following the Arab Spring. For the first issue, Svolik states that dictatorships are naturally less accountable than their democratic counterparts. There is also the differences in established and contested autocracies mentioned earlier, in established ones, the dictator’s rule cannot be credibly challenged, so therefore they are more likely to rule over disastrous policies that do not benefit anyone. On the second question, countries like China seek to solve the succession problem by establishing term limits, which was successful in the past, but has seen difficulties today. The temptation to consolidate power while in office and opportunities they have are often too much to ignore. However, China is an exception, as Svolik notes, succession is an issue that most dictatorships never manage to solve. Svolik also notes however, that term limits, as useful and solvent as they may be, they cannot solve the authoritarian issue of the lack of independent entity to enforce agreements, and the issue of violence as an ever-looming option. There is also the issue of the authority of a position being tied inseparably to the person in that position in many cases. Svolik finally wraps it up talking about the grim chances for democracy in the Middle East following the Arab Spring. As often times, the actions of the military and their support, often depend on the role they play in authoritarian politics, as seen in one of Svolik’s four dimensions. The amount a dictator is willing to rely on their military plays a massive role in determining the role the military plays int situations like the Arab Spring, according to Svolik.