Policy Instrument Choice Under Globalization: Do authoritarian states choose differently?

• New data show policy convergence among 15 ex-Soviet states in childcare deinstitutionalization.

• Countries adopted policies as ‘a package’ (goals + instruments), as promoted by international actors.

• Authoritarian states adopted the same policy instruments, as non-authoritarian states.

• Authoritarian states adopted ‘modern’, non-coercive policy instruments, based on the agentic individual.

• World culture and international advocacy appear key to childcare policy instrument choice.