On Tyranny

Authoritarianism often thrives on voluntary obedience before it's even demanded. Historical events like the German and Czechoslovak elections show citizens adapting quickly, teaching rulers what is possible. The 1938 annexation of Austria demonstrates how anticipatory obedience facilitated persecution. Milgram’s experiments further illustrate people's remarkable willingness to harm others when instructed by a new authority.

Institutions require active defense; they do not maintain themselves. Historical mistakes by German Jews trusting constitutional checks against Nazis highlight this. Rulers can destroy institutions internally or turn them into hollow shells. Beware of a single party exploiting historical moments to suppress rivals and make democratic life impossible. Voting should never be taken for granted.

Professional groups are crucial in resisting authoritarianism, as regimes like the Nazis required the cooperation of lawyers, doctors, and businessmen. When leaders set poor examples, professional commitments to just practices defend the rule of law. Be wary of symbols and public signs of loyalty that create a facade of conformity and sustain oppressive regimes through dehumanizing propaganda.

Abandoning facts is the first step toward tyranny. Truth dies through hostility to reality, shamanistic repetition, magical thinking, and misplaced faith in a leader. The current "post-truth" state is a pre-fascist condition. Individuals must take responsibility for discerning truth, as potential tyrants disparage journalists. Support print journalism to maintain collective trust in common knowledge, countering the dangers of the internet.

The emergence of violent organizations outside state control signals the end of democratic order, as seen with interwar European paramilitary groups intimidating rivals. This connects to modern concerns about privatized violence. Regular police and soldiers participated in historical atrocities not as ideologues, but as conformists. Those in public service must be prepared to refuse irregular orders, as large-scale killing depends on their assistance.

Individual resistance is necessary, exemplified by Winston Churchill refusing to concede to Nazi Germany and Teresa Prekerowa saving Jews. Setting an individual example can break the status quo. For resistance to be effective, it must move from screens to the physical world. The Polish Solidarity movement demonstrated how diverse groups crossing social boundaries and occupying public spaces can dismantle oppressive systems.

Totalitarianism erases the boundary between private and public life. Violations of electronic privacy and using personal communications for disinformation distract from political issues, fueling conspiracy theories. Active participation in civil society through good causes and NGOs defends freedom. Historical enemies of freedom were hostile to non-governmental organizations because they build trust and autonomy outside state control.

Americans should learn from other nations, especially Eastern Europe, to understand modern threats like cyberwar and fake news. History moves from east to west, with techniques tested in Ukraine applied elsewhere. Beware of terms like "extremism" and "terrorism" used to justify suspending civil liberties. Rulers often manufacture emergencies to trick citizens into trading freedom for a false sense of safety.

Terror management is a primary tool for bringing down democracies. Authoritarians exploit disasters, like the Reichstag fire, to consolidate power, a pattern seen with Vladimir Putin. Citizens must ensure grief and fear don't destroy institutions. Courage is recognizing and resisting the management of terror from the moment an attack occurs, even when such resistance feels most difficult.

True patriotism involves serving the country and helping it live up to its ideals, not evading taxes or admiring foreign dictators. Nationalism cultivates resentment and relies on myths of inherent virtue. A patriot acknowledges democratic collapse is possible and acts to prevent it. Americans lost history to the politics of inevitability, allowing politicians to manipulate the past, creating permanent crisis and leading to fascist oligarchy. History is the defense.