Authoritarians don't seize power in a single dramatic moment—they erode democracy gradually, normalizing each transgression until it's too late. Here's their playbook, and how to fight back.
Political scientists Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt spent decades studying democratic collapse around the world. Their conclusion? Democracies rarely die in coups anymore. They die slowly, through the actions of elected leaders who subvert the very process that brought them to power.
The pattern is remarkably consistent across countries and eras: attack the referees (courts, election officials, oversight bodies), sideline the players (opposition, media, civil society), and rewrite the rules (voting laws, constitutional norms, institutional checks).
Every warning sign scholars identify in failing democracies—from Hungary to Venezuela to Turkey—is now visible in American politics. Recognizing the pattern is the first step to stopping it.
These tactics aren't random—they're a deliberate strategy refined by authoritarians worldwide. Learn to recognize each one.
Overwhelm the public with so many false claims that people can't keep up. The goal isn't to convince—it's to exhaust and confuse until truth itself seems unknowable.
Watch for: Rapid-fire false statements, contradicting previous positions without acknowledgment, claiming "fake news" for any unfavorable coverage.
Label independent journalism as "the enemy of the people." Promote propaganda outlets. Threaten reporters. Make citizens distrust all sources except the leader.
Watch for: Revoking press credentials, threatening lawsuits against outlets, amplifying fringe media while attacking established journalism.
Use the law as a weapon against opponents while ensuring allies face no consequences. Pack courts with loyalists. Fire independent investigators.
Watch for: Calls to prosecute political opponents, pardoning allies, interfering with ongoing investigations, threatening judges.
Blame immigrants, minorities, or "elites" for all problems. Create an us-vs-them mentality where the leader alone can protect "real" citizens from threatening others.
Watch for: Dehumanizing language ("animals," "vermin," "invasion"), policies targeting specific ethnic or religious groups, conspiracy theories about hidden enemies.
Claim fraud before votes are cast. Make voting harder for opponents' supporters. Refuse to commit to accepting results. Suggest elections should be delayed or canceled.
Watch for: Baseless fraud claims, voter roll purges, closing polling places, attacking mail voting, suggesting terms should be extended.
Replace career professionals with loyalists. Fire inspectors general and watchdogs. Classify political appointees as civil servants to entrench them.
Watch for: Mass firings of experienced officials, loyalty tests for government employees, eliminating independent oversight positions.
Praise or excuse violence by supporters. Call for opponents to be "roughed up." Use law enforcement against peaceful protesters while ignoring violent allies.
Watch for: Refusing to condemn supporter violence, calling armed groups "very fine people," using tear gas on peaceful protests.
Politicize security forces. Use them against domestic "enemies." Promote officers based on loyalty rather than competence. Threaten to deploy against citizens.
Watch for: Threats to use military against protesters, firing military leaders who resist politicization, using federal forces against local governments.
Assert authority beyond constitutional limits. Ignore court orders. Claim emergency powers. Suggest term limits don't apply.
Watch for: "I have the absolute right to..." statements, defying congressional subpoenas, declaring unlimited emergency powers, "joking" about staying in power.
Deny past statements caught on video. Claim credit for opponents' achievements. Reframe past failures as successes. Make citizens doubt their own memory.
Watch for: "I never said that" (when there's video), taking credit for economy/policies inherited from predecessors, claiming record achievements with no evidence.
"The key to understanding authoritarian behavior is to stop asking 'how far will they go?' and start asking 'why would they stop?'" — Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Strongmen
The would-be authoritarian tests what they can get away with—small norm violations, outrageous statements, minor abuses. If there's no significant consequence, they escalate.
Focus shifts to neutralizing oversight: stacking courts, firing inspectors general, attacking electoral oversight. The goal is ensuring no institution can hold them accountable.
Once oversight is weakened, opponents face legal harassment, surveillance, or prosecution. Media is threatened. Civil society is attacked as foreign agents or traitors.
Electoral rules are changed to disadvantage opponents. Constitutional norms are violated. Emergency powers become permanent. The playing field is permanently tilted.
By this point, formal democratic institutions may still exist, but they're hollowed out. Elections happen but aren't competitive. Courts exist but only rule one way. The transformation is complete.
Refuse to treat authoritarian behavior as "just politics." Each transgression must be named and challenged, even when it's exhausting.
Authoritarian resistance requires unlikely alliances. Focus on defending democracy, not ideological purity.
Support independent courts, inspectors general, election officials, and civil servants who resist politicization.
Fight voter suppression. Volunteer as poll workers. Support voting rights organizations. Make elections impossible to steal.
Subscribe to local news. Fund investigative journalism. Share credible reporting. The truth is a weapon.
Authoritarians count on exhaustion and despair. Show up to every election. Attend every hearing. Never give up.
Arm yourself with knowledge. These books provide the historical and theoretical framework for understanding—and resisting—the authoritarian threat.
"How Democracies Die" by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt — The essential primer on democratic collapse and the warning signs visible in America.
"Strongmen" by Ruth Ben-Ghiat — A historian's account of authoritarian leaders from Mussolini to the present, revealing their common tactics.
"On Tyranny" by Timothy Snyder — Twenty lessons from the twentieth century on resisting authoritarianism, designed for immediate action.
"Fascism: A Warning" by Madeleine Albright — A former Secretary of State traces fascism's history and its echoes in contemporary politics.
"The Origins of Totalitarianism" by Hannah Arendt — The foundational text on how totalitarian movements rise and maintain power.
Understanding the playbook matters—but only if we act on it. The time to organize is now.
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