As tyrants take control of democracies, they typically do it in 10 ways.
1. Exaggerate their mandate to govern – claiming, for example, that they won an election by a landslide even after losing the popular vote, and that they lost the popular vote because of massive voter fraud.
2. Call anyone who opposes them “enemies,” including journalists and media outlets that criticize them, and accuse such journalists and outlets of spreading fake news.
1. Exaggerate their mandate to govern – claiming, for example, that they won an election by a landslide even after losing the popular vote, and that they lost the popular vote because of massive voter fraud.
2. Call anyone who opposes them “enemies,” including journalists and media outlets that criticize them, and accuse such journalists and outlets of spreading fake news.
3. Blame economic stresses on immigrants or racial or religious minorities, and quietly foment violence against them.
4. Quietly encourage domestic terrorists to use violence on defenders of democracy. Refuse to openly condemn such acts. Get manufacturers of guns and munitions to encourage such acts as well.
5. Communicate with supporters directly through mass rallies and unfiltered statements (now called tweets).
6. Tell the public big lies, causing them to doubt the truth and to believe fictions that support the tyrants’ goals.
7. Appoint family members and generals into high positions of authority.
8. Make personal alliances with foreign dictators, but express indifference if not defiance toward democratic leaders.
9. Draw no distinction between personal property and public property, profiteering from public office.
10. Count on average peoples’ confusion, fear, or apathy to allow all this to happen.
4. Quietly encourage domestic terrorists to use violence on defenders of democracy. Refuse to openly condemn such acts. Get manufacturers of guns and munitions to encourage such acts as well.
5. Communicate with supporters directly through mass rallies and unfiltered statements (now called tweets).
6. Tell the public big lies, causing them to doubt the truth and to believe fictions that support the tyrants’ goals.
7. Appoint family members and generals into high positions of authority.
8. Make personal alliances with foreign dictators, but express indifference if not defiance toward democratic leaders.
9. Draw no distinction between personal property and public property, profiteering from public office.
10. Count on average peoples’ confusion, fear, or apathy to allow all this to happen.
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