Authoritarian upgrading

Grokipedia has the interesting phrase 'authoritarian upgrading' in its entry for Uzbekistan.


Despite economic progress, Uzbekistan retains authoritarian characteristics under Mirziyoyev, with limited political pluralism and state control over key institutions. Press freedom has deteriorated, with Uzbekistan ranking 148th out of 180 countries in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index, its score falling from 37 to 35 points, amid economic pressures on independent media and efforts to co-opt bloggers. Reforms have improved some human rights areas, such as reducing forced labor, but core controls persist, including restrictions on opposition and media, indicating authoritarian upgrading rather than substantive democratization.

Here's another interesting phrase - 'there's a lot of it about'.