Vanilla XJO Thread, page-517

Authoritarianism

What are the Top 10 Elements of the Authoritarian Playbook?

1.Divide and rule: Foment mistrust and fear in the population.

2.Spread lies and conspiracies: Undermine the public’s belief in truth.

3.Destroy checks and balances: Quietly use legal or pseudo-legal rationales to gut institutions, weaken opposition, and/or declare national emergencies to seize unconstitutional powers
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4.Demonize opponents and independent media: Undermine the public’s trust in those actors and institutions that hold the state accountable.

5.Undermine civil and political rights for the unaligned: Actively suppress free speech, the right to assembly and protest and the rights of women and minority groups.

6.Blame minorities, immigrants, and “outsiders” for a country’s problems. Exploit national humiliation while promising to restore national glory.

7.Reward loyalists and punish defectors: Make in-group members fearful to voice dissension.

8.Encourage or condone violence to advance political goals: Dehumanize opposition and/or out-groups to justify violence against them.

9.Organize mass rallies to keep supporters mobilized against made-up threats: Use fearmongering and hate speech to consolidate in-group identity and solidarity.

10.Make people feel like they are powerless to change things: Solutions will only come from the top.


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