Well, America, it looks like you need another lesson in authoritarianism after all. To my fellow Canadians who supported Trump, I guess you need that lesson too. But you would have been wise to consider history…
Now, following the results of Tuesday’s election, we will watch as rights and freedoms are rolled back further (including rights to bodily autonomy), those identified as “enemies within” are prosecuted, and the convicted felon and adjudicated rapist who has been legally declared above the law amasses more undue power. And, through it all, democratic institutions will erode and vulnerable people will suffer more as the dominant class is manipulated further by power and fear. That Trump is a vocal admirer of dictators and despots should have been cause enough to avoid his re-election. Now, those he admires, like Russia’s Putin and Turkey’s Erdogan, will serve as inspiration for his second term.
What is perhaps most disturbing is that the signs of Trump’s authoritarian proclivities have been plainly evident for quite some time. His sowing of distrust in the media (and claims of “fake news”), his attacks on journalists, his targeting of minority groups and scapegoating of immigrants, his Big Lies and mass gaslighting, his incessant fear-mongering and divisive rhetoric that pits people against people, his reckless grandiosity and all-too-easy ability to maintain a hate-fueled cult of personality, his alignment with religious conservatives and wealthy capitalists, and his hostile attacks on political opponents — these are just a few of the telltale characteristics of dictators and despots. Though they may take on more contemporary expressions in Trump, the signs are clear and they are plentiful. I am convinced that what we have seen unfold in the United States is a failure of the American education system, which has (among other things) forgotten its history and neglected to teach its populace about the dangers and warning signs of despotism and autocracy.
As history has taught us, however, everyone (perhaps with the exception of the wealthy class) eventually suffers under authoritarian rule, not just those labelled as enemies and scapegoats (though they will suffer first). This too has been apparent under Trump’s rule, as we saw in his mishandling of the pandemic, for instance, as well as his efforts to undermine international alliances (and this makes us all less safe). But this is his second term, and he has been granted criminal immunity by a Supreme Court that he helped appoint, and so things will certainly be worse this time around. I wish that Americans did not need this lesson in authoritarianism, but it’s quite apparent that they do. I fear for our neighbours to the south (and I worry about us here in Canada, too), because as history has shown us, time and time again, the lesson of authoritarianism is learned with immense suffering. And that is especially true for those who are most vulnerable; for those demonized and scapegoated, and on whom the suffering is blamed: immigrants, Muslims, trans people, to name a few, as well as doctors, scientists, and educators who are decried as “woke” in their efforts to make the world a healthier, safer, and more equitable place.
Yet it’s all a ploy, a well engineered tactic that enables authoritarian descent: blame is redirected, away from the person responsible for real pain and suffering, and in so doing the people come to support the descent itself, believing that it’s a necessary response to “evil” or “enemies” within. (Trump’s language does not hide his authoritarian intent; it communicates it clearly and directly. We would be wise to listen more carefully.) It is no coincidence that Trump has targeted and scapegoated immigrants since his original run for presidency; indeed, it’s all part of the dictator’s playbook, a method employed by authoritarians and autocrats throughout history. Immigrants and minorities are always scapegoated. And psychology tells us why: by targeting those who are different, in-group/out-group biases are activated, an us-versus-them mentality is sown in the populace, and blame of ‘the other’ unfolds like clockwork. Dictators and despots prey on human psychology; they may not know the science firsthand (and they often demonstrate a strong disdain for science given its propensity to distinguish truth from propaganda), but they understand human nature better than most, and they use it to their advantage.
If we look carefully at all that has come before us, then we know that things will become much worse before they get better. Following Trump’s previous win in 2016, hate crimes skyrocketed in the United States, Canada, and Europe, fueled by a leader whose words and actions normalized bigotry, crudeness, and hostility on a near-daily basis. White nationalist organizations around the world were energized and emboldened by Trump’s presidency (particularly his anti-immigrant rhetoric), extending their reach during his four-year term, as racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, and the like spread further. Research from the United States suggested a 2000% increase in White supremacist ideology and propaganda during Trump’s first 4 years in office. Other research from the U.S. found that, controlling for various social factors and trends, Trump’s 2016 election was associated with a significant surge in hate crimes. Specifically, people of colour, immigrants, non-Christians, LGBTQ+, and other minority populations were at greater risk of violence, in what has been dubbed “the Trump effect” in academic research. Europe reported similar spikes in far-right extremism during the same period. And in Canada, only minor fluctuations in such crimes were reported by the RCMP leading up to 2016, but during that year, “a pronounced spike” in hate crimes occurred. It has continued ever since.
Now, these social movements and the people who lead them will be emboldened once again, energized by the long-awaited return of their vengeful messiah. As more submit to Trump’s biddings, more will be lost. Decency will be abandoned, security compromised, and even nature will suffer as environmental protections and safeguards are removed. Indeed, there is a predictable, well documented pattern to all of this, and we would be wise to consult those who came before us. Although they tell us that things will get worse before they get better, they will eventually get better. I just worry about what (and who) will be lost in the process.