This title offers a new account of modern Iraqi politics that overturns the conventional wisdom about its sectarian divisions. How did Iraq become one of the most repressive dictatorships of the late 20th century? The conventional wisdom is that the country was doomed by its diverse social fabric. But the author challenges this belief by showing that the country's breakdown was far from inevitable. At the same time, she offers a new way of understanding the behavior of other authoritarian regimes and their populations. Drawing on material captured from the headquarters of Saddam Hussein's ruling Ba'th Party after the 2003 US invasion, she illuminates the complexities of political life in Iraq, including why certain Iraqis collaborated with the regime while others worked to undermine it. Calling into question the common story of modern Iraqi politics, this volume offers a new explanation of why and how dictators repress their people and inadvertently strengthen regime opponents.