In Spin Dictators: The Changing Face of Tyranny in the 21st Century (Princeton University Press, 2022), economists Sergei Guriev and Daniel Treisman contrast older "fear dictators," such as Stalin and Mao, with modern "spin dictators" who rely mainly on propaganda, disinformation and spin rather than overt mass repression (Wikipedia summary).
Such leaders present themselves as democrats while curbing dissent; in the book's words, they "manipulate the media, rather than totally censor or suppress it" (Wikipedia summary). The authors name Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew and Peru's Alberto Fujimori as pioneers, and Vladimir Putin, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Viktor Orbán as later examples (Wikipedia summary).
Relationship to the playbook
The model underpins Pillar 2 (spreading disinformation) and Pillar 4 (quashing criticism and dissent) of the Seven Pillars. See also stealth authoritarianism.