More than 1 in 4 Americans show some support for authoritarianism

[Different Drummer]

A new poll finds that 29 percent of respondents expressed support for a “‘strong leader’ or ‘army rule'”

Source: Salon.com


A new survey reveals that although most Americans like to believe they prefer democracy over authoritarian forms of government, the actual content of their convictions can veer precipitously toward authoritarianism.

"If given a direct choice, the overwhelming majority of Americans choose democracy," writes Lee Drutman, Larry Diamond and Joe Goldman of the Democracy Fund Voter Study Group. "In fact, on each of the five questions we asked, three quarters or more of all respondents provide at least some support for democracy, and half or more express support for the strongest pro-democratic option. By contrast, depending on the question, between an eighth and a quarter of respondents provide an answer that does not support democracy."

They added that some of their evidence conflicts with the findings of a 2016 paper called "The Democracy Disconnect" by Roberto Stefan Foa and Yascha Mounk. &quot a) We do not find that public support for democracy in the U.S. is declining. (b) Nor do we find higher support among young people for an authoritarian political system," the Democracy Fund Voter Study Group writes.

At the same time, the Drutman, Diamond and Goldman found that "only a slim majority of Americans (54 percent) consistently express a pro-democratic position across all five of our measures." Even those who have a dimmer view of democracy, however, were still more likely than not to avoid supporting authoritarian alternatives. That said, the highest level of openness to authoritarianism came from voters who supported Donald Trump in the primaries, while the highest support for democracy came from voters who were either consistently liberal or consistently conservative.

More at: https://www.salon.com/2018/03/16/more-than-one-in-four-americans-prefer-authoritarian-politics/

[chuckstevens]

1. That means 3/4 don't

We need to mobilize them NOW!

[Mr. Ected]

2. I bet that 25% of everyone on the planet edges towards authoritarianism

That's the crowd that Putin is reaching out to. Enough to be problematic; not enough to take over....yet.

[meow2u3]

3. That means 3/4 of Americans don't want any part of authoritarianism

The 1/4 who do are the same ones who hold signs like "Keep the government off my Medicare", etc., all replete with misspelled signs and general ignorance.

[sl8]

13. That 3/4 figure only applies to any 1 of the 5 questions

They say that only 54% are anti-authoritarian when you consider all five questions.

From the authors of the study:

...
However, only a slim majority of Americans (54 percent) consistently express a pro-democratic position across all five of our measures. If we look across our battery of questions, almost half of our respondents do not support democracy on at least one of the five survey questions.
...

[dchill]

4. Just about the size of Trump's Idiot Base.

Democracies are not authoritarian. They are un-American. ICE needs to round them up.

[Wednesdays]

6. No, we don't "round people up" because of their beliefs

But I'll bet a lot of them will reconsider what they stand for, once tRump and his cabal start their inevitable collapse.

[dchill]

8. Obviously, I don't mean that literally.

I'm a Democrat. And ICE's mission is not to Target these fine Amerikan Patriots, it's to harass and persecute immigrants, legal and illegal.

[procon]

5. That's about the same number who always poll positive for Trump.

Thank gawd they are a minority.

[ProudLib72]

7. WHY?

The article does not advance any explanation. Is there some sort of genetic predisposition towards authoritarianism, or is it the fear mongering that convinces these people they need a dictator? I'm leaning toward the latter. If I am correct and it is the brainwashing of RWNJ radio and TV, then is it authoritarian to try and squelch it? I mean, first amendment rights and all....

[dchill]

9. Tiny, fearful brains.

[Igel]

15. It's a survey.

Your goal was not their goal.

Once had a long argument with a high school science teacher about science. I claimed that ordered observation was an important part of science, esp. if no hypothesis is yet formed. She argued that science is "hypothesis, test, observation from test, revised hypothesis."

She missed that "observation from test" might be very broad, indeed. And can include unwanted, unexpected observations.

[ProudLib72]

21. I wasn't expecting that from the article to be honest

The article raised the question in my mind. I wanted a discussion about the reasons, and I should have made a new thread.

[Maraya1969]

16. Maybe those are the right winged Christians. I see this in my brother. He was

(There is some free rambling thought here but please bear with me because I have been trying to figure this stuff out for years now)

not stupid as a kid but he is an idiot as and adult with regards to politics. Look at their sayings:

They like, "God fearing" people and want to be "God fearing" also
They always say they try to "do the will of God" even when they are just full of shit
They home school their kids which means they don't want their kids to learn anything that they don't approve of or that doesn't toe the line.
(They even chose therapists based on their religion......I remember my SIL talking about wanting a "Christian" therapist for one of their kids when he had a problem)
Oh, they also were not allowed to watch movies unless they were
pre-approved by some Christian movie watching list.
They all hang together so their delusions seem realistic to them because all their friends say and do the same thing

AND I have come to the conclusion that he has been brainwashed over the years. He was the one who decided he was a conservative when he was in seminary and I actually don't know what caused him to decide that. (Wait......I just realized that our parents taught us those things, not to the extent he believes now but I used to be like him in many ways....very rigid. The best thing that ever happened to me was getting a mental illness and being forced to be around other people who showed me that I did not have to be a cookie cutter like I was brought up to be.)

[CrispyQ]

23. My smart, articulate, college educated cousin is a rwnj & religion addled.

Rural, religious America thinks they are more American than the rest of us. They really do.

[Journeyman]

10. Hannah Arendt: "The Origins of Totalitarianism" (1952) . . .

Although we have enough reports from concentration camps to assess the possibilities of total domination and to catch a glimpse into the abyss of the "possible," we do not know the extent of character transformation under a totalitarian regime. We know even less how many of the normal people around us would be willing to accept the totalitarian way of life-that is, to pay the price of a considerably shorter life for the assured fulfillment of all their career dreams. It is easy to realize the extent to which totalitarian propaganda and even some totalitarian institutions answer the needs of the new homeless masses, but it is almost impossible to know how many of them, if they are further exposed to a constant threat of unemployment, will gladly acquiesce to a "population policy" that consists of regular elimination of surplus people, and how many, once they have fully grasped their growing incapacity to bear the burdens of modern life, will gladly conform to a system that, together with spontaneity, eliminates responsibility.

In other words, while we know the operation and the specific function of the totalitarian secret police, we do not know how well or to what an extent the "secret" of this secret society corresponds to the secret desires and the secret complicities of the masses in our time.

(emphasis added)

[Binkie The Clown]

11. I seem to recall having read years ago that this is a basic personality trait

that people are born with.

And if that's the case then "conservative conversion therapy" makes a s much sense as "gay conversion therapy." Rather, we should simply accept that it is the way it is, and celebrate diversity rather than trying to fight it.

[miyazaki]

12. One fourth probably doesn't even know what that means.

Many of them don't even know that our sun is a star. It's just something we placed up there for our own convenience.

Not sure we even made it out of The Dark Age sometimes.

[sl8]

14. The five questions:

From https://www.voterstudygroup.org/publications/2017-voter-survey/follow-the-leader

I: While each of our five questions draws a pro-democracy response from at least three-quarters of respondents, only half of the public is consistently supportive of democracy across all five indicators.

The July 2017 VOTER Survey specifically asked respondents five questions about their attitudes toward democracy. How would they assess on a four-point scale of “very good” to “very bad”:

1. Having a strong leader who does not have to bother with Congress and elections?

2. Having the army rule?

...

More at link.

[BoneyardDem]

17. Seems to corresponded to the same percentage ....

...of knuckle dragging, blind, Trump supporter

[Mosby]

18. what were the five questions?

[sl8]

19. Look up 2 posts. :)

[Ms. Toad]

20. A fair number of them are on DU - so it should not be surprising.

Here are the questions:

4-point scale good: very bad:

(1) Having a strong leader who does not have to bother with Congress and elections? (I have seen this sentiment expressed here during Obama's presidency)

(2) Having the army rule? (I have seen this sentiment expressed here in relation to removing Trump from office)

(3) Having a democratic political system?

(4) How important is it for you to live in a country that is governed democratically? (on a scale of one to 10).

(5) Which of these statements is closest to your view?

(a) Democracy is preferable to any other kind of government.

(b) In some circumstances, a nondemocratic government can be preferable.

(c) For someone like me, it doesn’t matter what kind of government we have.



So support for authoritarianism is not the exclusive property of the Republicans - I've seen way too much of the "desperate times call for desperate measures" mentality around here. I understand (and feel) the desperation - but (1) the ends don't justify the means and (2) it is important to recognize and guard against supporting/advocating some of what we hate.

[world wide wally]

22. There are still more of us than them

VOTE!