Autocracy in America
Autocracy in America

Introducing Autocracy in America

3 min
•Aug 16, 2024over 1 year ago
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Summary

This introductory episode of 'Autocracy in America' explores how modern authoritarianism takes hold through democratic processes rather than military coups. Hosts Ann Applebaum and Peter Pomeranza examine warning signs already visible in American politics, including conspiracy theories, misused investigations, court fragility, and dark money influence.

Insights
  • Modern autocracies consolidate power incrementally through democratic elections, not sudden coups or brute force takeovers
  • Authoritarians exploit democratic systems by tilting institutional levers in their favor once elected
  • Conspiracy theories, weaponized investigations, and dark money are measurable indicators of democratic backsliding
  • Understanding global patterns of democratic collapse is essential to recognizing similar dynamics in America
  • The slide toward autocracy is already underway in present-day America, not a distant hypothetical threat
Trends
Rise of conspiracy theories as a tool for undermining institutional trust and democratic legitimacyWeaponization of legal investigations and prosecutions for political purposesErosion of judicial independence and court credibility in polarized political environmentsExpansion of dark money and lack of transparency in political funding and influenceGlobal patterns of democratic backsliding accelerating in multiple regions simultaneouslyNormalization of election fraud accusations and baseless claims about electoral integrityInstitutional capture by autocratic movements through democratic electoral processes
Topics
Authoritarianism and democratic backslidingConspiracy theories and institutional trustElection integrity and fraud allegationsDark money in politicsJudicial independence and court credibilityWeaponization of investigationsDemocratic erosion in AmericaGlobal patterns of autocracyPolitical transparencyInstitutional captureCorruption and rule of lawFascism and freedom rhetoricVoter suppression and election securityPolitical polarizationDemocratic institutions under threat
People
Ann Applebaum
Co-host of the podcast, discussing patterns of authoritarianism and democratic collapse
Peter Pomeranza
Co-host of the podcast, analyzing signs of autocracy in contemporary America
Quotes
"Modern day authoritarians do not come into power by brute force. No, democracy's lost one little step at a time."
Ann Applebaum or Peter Pomeranza
"My nightmare is that fascism comes to America, but it's marching under the banner of freedom."
Ann Applebaum or Peter Pomeranza
"When we look at America today right now, we see a place where the slide to autocracy has already begun. It's not some distant future. It's the present."
Ann Applebaum or Peter Pomeranza
"The evidence can be found in the tightening grip of conspiracy theories."
Ann Applebaum or Peter Pomeranza
"This is a beast that is stalking America's political landscape."
Ann Applebaum or Peter Pomeranza
Full Transcript
I thought, surely, we're not that far gone. And then, yeah, then I realized, maybe we are, actually. There's a common perception that democracy ends with a battle. Soldiers in the streets, a coup d'etat, the fall of a government. Modern day authoritarians do not come into power by brute force. No, democracy's lost one little step at a time. Modern day authoritarians come to power by winning democratic elections. But then once they get into power, tilting all the lovers of power in their favor. We know this because we have studied how autocracies take hold. My nightmare is that fascism comes to America, but it's marching under the banner of freedom. We've reported from places where freedoms are curtailed and corruption flourishes. If you are accused of something, you're going to be proven guilty. There are no exceptions. We've seen with our own eyes what happens when democracy gives way to authoritarianism. When we look at America today right now, we see a place where the slide to autocracy has already begun. It's not some distant future. It's the present. The evidence can be found in the tightening grip of conspiracy theories. In never in a million years would I have thought that somebody would have accused me of shredding ballots from the 2020 election, feeding them to chickens, and then burning the chickens to cover the evidence. It can be seen in the misuse of investigations and the fragility of the courts. I just kept saying, like, when do we get to the part where the facts come out? There's signs of autocracy in the growth of dark money and the lack of transparency in politics. This is a beast that is stalking America's political landscape. To understand it, you've got to look around the world. The struggle for a transition to democracy in Venezuela, we are fighting a global fight. And you have to look to history. You go to the records and you'll see that the voters of that election voted in alphabetical order. Can you figure that out? That's pretty sloppy cheating. No, it's not sloppy. It's blatant. I'm Ann Applebaum, a staff raider at the Atlantic. I'm Peter Pomeranza, a senior fellow at the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University. Coming this September, a new podcast from the Atlantic. Autocracy in America.