Summary Lucid Q&A Post: Why Do Authoritarians Appeal to People, and Does Trump Study Other Autocrats? lucid.substack.com
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One Line
Ruth Ben-Ghiat explores the allure of authoritarians, including Trump, who utilizes propaganda and slogans and shows an inclination towards studying other autocrats.
Slides
Slide Presentation (12 slides)
Key Points
- Trump is not a big reader and did not need to study other authoritarians to know how to behave, but his speechwriters give him content that echoes well-known authoritarian themes and language.
- Authoritarians learn from each other and are most interested in what others are getting away with.
- Trump's disinterest in history means his impressions of what other strongmen can do are sometimes based more on fantasy than fact.
- Authoritarians come to power in moments of uncertainty and transition when traditional parties and political systems no longer meet the needs of the moment.
- Authoritarians appeal to people by offering a sense of community, creating a sense of belonging, and exploiting fears of loss of privilege and threats from specific groups.
Summaries
19 word summary
Ruth Ben-Ghiat examines the appeal of authoritarians and Trump's interest in studying other autocrats. Trump uses propaganda and slogans.
96 word summary
Ruth Ben-Ghiat explores why authoritarians are appealing and if Trump studies other autocrats. Despite not being a big reader, Trump excels at propaganda and slogans. His speechwriters provide content that echoes authoritarian themes. Authoritarians observe each other to see what they can get away with. Trump's lack of historical interest leads to fantasy-based impressions of strongmen. Authoritarians rise during uncertain times, exploiting divisions and targeting immigrants, minorities, and journalists. They create a sense of community by identifying enemies. Ben-Ghiat warns that circumstances and personality can lead to disastrous outcomes, as seen with Trumpism in the US.
148 word summary
Ruth Ben-Ghiat discusses the appeal of authoritarians and whether Donald Trump studies other autocrats. Trump may not read much, but he has a knack for propaganda and slogans. While he doesn't need to study other authoritarians, his speechwriters give him content that echoes authoritarian themes. However, authoritarians do learn from each other by observing what others get away with. Trump's lack of interest in history means his impressions of strongmen are sometimes based on fantasy. Authoritarians rise to power in moments of uncertainty and transition when traditional parties and systems fail to meet the needs of the moment. They communicate innovatively, exacerbate divisions, and target immigrants, minorities, and journalists. The appeal of authoritarians lies in their ability to create a sense of community and comfort through identifying enemies. Ben-Ghiat concludes that circumstance and personality can align to produce disastrous outcomes, as seen with Trumpism in the United States.
349 word summary
In this Lucid Q&A post, Ruth Ben-Ghiat addresses the appeal of authoritarians and whether or not Donald Trump studies other autocrats. Ben-Ghiat begins by mentioning that Trump is not a big reader, but he has good instincts when it comes to propaganda and crafting slogans. He does not need to study other authoritarians to know how to behave, but his speechwriters do give him content that echoes authoritarian themes. However, authoritarians do learn from each other, observing what others are getting away with. Trump's disinterest in history means that his impressions of other strongmen are sometimes based on fantasy rather than fact.
Ben-Ghiat explains that the presence of authoritarians in power is often a result of moments of uncertainty and transition, where traditional parties and systems no longer meet the needs of the moment. Authoritarians often come from outside the political system and use innovative methods to communicate with their followers. They also thrive in polarized societies and exacerbate divisions to appeal to their base. The targets of authoritarian propaganda have remained consistent over time, including immigrants, ethnic minorities, and journalists.
The appeal of authoritarians lies in their ability to create a sense of community and provide comfort through the identification of enemies. Democracies that fail to deliver solutions or inspire people can also contribute to the rise of authoritarians. Ben-Ghiat emphasizes that about 30% of people in any given society have authoritarian tendencies, which can be activated by leaders who explicitly appeal to them and align with sectors of society fostering authoritarian cultures.
In conclusion, Ben-Ghiat states that circumstance and personality can align at historic moments to produce disastrous outcomes, which is evident in the United States with Trumpism. The article ends with comments from readers expressing agreement with Ben-Ghiat's assessment of Trump's behavior.
Overall, this summary highlights the key points made by Ruth Ben-Ghiat regarding the appeal of authoritarians and Trump's relationship with other autocrats. It emphasizes the role of propaganda, the impact of polarization, and the comfort provided by identifying enemies. The summary also acknowledges the influence of circumstances and personality in the rise of authoritarians.