Authoritarianism (1 Viewer)

[MT15]

I don’t really expect a whole lot of participation in this thread. But after having been repeatedly called an authoritarian by one member here who obviously doesn’t understand the term, I came across this article and thread on the subject. I thought it would be good to offer this thread as an educational service. It was helpful to me to distill my thoughts on the subject.

 

[MT15]

Seven Rules for fighting autocracy



Text for those who don’t Twitter.

Seven Rules for Dealing with Autocrats and their enablers.

I wrote these when working with those worldwide fighting for Democracy in their nations, and they are just as applicable today with what we face in America in the coming months.

- Rule #1: Play the Game You Are in, Not the One You Wish or Want to Play - This means when one side is playing the zero-sum, illiberal game, there is no win-win to be played. You will either win, and democracy survives, or you lose to the autocratic forces.

- Rule #2: Always Speak Truth to Power Because You Never Know the Tipping Point - You must confront the Big Lies of illiberal forces by speaking truth to their base of power -- the people. There is a tipping point where your Truth or the Big Lies prevail.

- Rule #3: Don't Hand the Autocrats Battering Rams with Which to Beat You - The game you are in, the battle you are fighting, isn't about policy or ideology. They will use what you say to divide you from your allies, who you need to win the battle for democracy.

- Rule #4: Understand Authoritarians Must Live in a Truth-Free Present - The past presents truths about the big lies and fear the illiberal forces use. The future for autocratic forces only matters for maintaining power at the moment. They only care about keeping/gaining power.

- Rule #5: Practice Zero-Sum Judo - Use their tactics against them -- Big Truths, Marginalization, make them dependent, mock the disinformation, divide and conquer their power structure. Use their desire for the legitimacy of democracy against them.

- Rule #6: The Stalin Rule: Stand Together with Anyone Who Will Join You to Disturb, Disrupt, and Diminish the Illiberal Structures. Even if you share nothing in common beyond a love of democracy and how much you loathe their politics in normal times, you fight side-by-side with them.

- Rule #7: Wake Up Every Day Thinking Where Can the Vertical Power Structure Be Exposed, Confronted, and Destabilized - Each of us and all of us on Team Democracy must wake up every day and ask what can I do to be on the side of restoring faith and confront the fear they use.

Ultimately, I am an optimist. When the fear of the illiberal autocrat erodes because people show they are not afraid, faith takes hold, and others want and will join the fight. It is one we must win in America. It is one we will win because more Americans stand for Democracy that has made us great than Autocrat who is constantly tearing us apart and down.