Executive Aggrandizement

👑 What is Executive Aggrandizement? Think of It Like This…

Imagine you’re playing Monopoly, but one player (let’s call them “The Executive”) starts changing the rules mid-game—giving themselves extra cash, skipping other players’ turns, or making it harder for others to win. That’s executive aggrandizement—when a leader gradually expands their power, weakening democratic checks and balances.

🔹 Real-world example? Some leaders slowly change laws to control courts, limit the press, or weaken opposition—not through a sudden coup, but through small, legal steps that tilt the game in their favor. A clear case is Turkey’s 2017 constitutional reform, which significantly expanded presidential powers while weakening institutional checks.