By manipulating the democratic process, elites can limit the freedoms of individuals or social groups and put in place leaders who are not democratically inclined. After WWII, a close connection was observed between extremely conservative values & authoritarian tendencies.
Social scientists have long known that highly threatening historical periods are accompanied by an increase in authoritarianism in the general population. Whatever the psychological causes, we are witnessing the rebirth of extreme right-wing movements that thrive under anxiety.
Trump exemplifies the authoritarian syndrome. Surveys confirm his supporters differ from other voters including other Republicans in their affinity for right-wing authoritarianism & social dominance. Liberals share a miserable concoction of disenchantment, astonishment & outrage.
We should never forget most of the things Americans celebrate are liberal victories over illiberal institutions & arrangements, from the eradication of slavery to the defeat of the Nazis. Liberals should be proud of their historical legacy, and they should own it.
Every one of those victories was hard fought: They took persistence, resilience, & an unwavering commitment to winning. It is part of the liberal conundrum to worry that whenever we take decisive action we are becoming like them: closed-minded, prejudiced, biased, intolerant, etc
Liberals would be better off “owning” the struggle in this historical moment. Rather than playing out our internal contradictions, we should try to become as fully aware of them as possible. The situation forces a confrontation, a battle for America’s future.
A bitter conflict most liberals wish to avoid. Liberals must also face the fact that “the powers that be” will never side with them for long, and is one reason why liberal guilt is so misplaced: The liberal left does not set the political landscape & never really has.
Liberals today are in the unenviable position of responding to whatever is taking place, outside of their control. This is an unpleasant state for anyone. But to be put here by Trump, of all people, is an indignity that is practically unbearable.
Authoritarian inclinations are a constant danger—and a constant source of anxiety for the liberal. Lack of resolve or unity in opposition undermines success. For Lincoln and FDR, the willingness to identify & call out enemies was a crucial action.
The effectiveness of the progressive agenda depends on how well it counters the other side's zero-sum game. While conservatives dismiss liberal tentative, ambivalent entreaties & half-hearted attempts to reach out, liberals attack each other for not being tolerant enough.
The liberal conundrum cannot be resolved philosophically or psychologically. We lash out at our opponents and regret it almost immediately. We try to maintain a sober, rational distance from our own emotions, because we cannot trust their epistemic value.
Our adversaries, meanwhile, are all “guts & glory,” with no time for introspection, no energy for deliberation, & no patience for us. The challenge for us in a liberal democracy is to identify elements of Society's status quo that possess intrinsic value & conserve them.
This was written in Spring 2018 & is still relevant. Most of all it tells us Dems what we do well & what we don't. And it shows us by example that we should not be shrinking violets, but have to call those bastards out, get unified, own the moment, and fight without apology.
We are on the right side, so act like it & take no shit or prisoners. Let this be a wakeup call to you, Dems.
We are fighting, but it feels like you are fighting us.
Stop it and Get Ugly.
@HouseDemocrats @SenateDems @TheBlackCaucus @DemGovs
democracyjournal.org/magazine/48/ma…
We are fighting, but it feels like you are fighting us.
Stop it and Get Ugly.
@HouseDemocrats @SenateDems @TheBlackCaucus @DemGovs
democracyjournal.org/magazine/48/ma…
