Roman SheremetaI teach both American and international government. For years, I’ve been going over “case study” states, from mostly democratic (UK), to democratizing-but-corrupt (Mexico, Nigeria), to illiberal-authoritarian (Russia), to theocratic (Iran), to traditional authoritarian (China).
When it comes to the difference between democracy and authoritarianism, one thing Americans need to understand is that there’s never one single moment when you become an authoritarian state; no leader will stand up and announce, “I am now a dictator.”
Putin is the classic case study in the gradual, effective subversion of democracy. Russia had been democratizing for about a decade when he took over in 2000, and now — even though Russia ostensibly still has the appearance of democracy (elections, separation of powers, federalism, and a constitution) — none of that matters. Putin is in absolute control. And Putin is, coincidentally (?), the authoritarian most vocally admired by Donald Trump.
But how screwed are we? Well, as any first-year political science student can tell you, there are — very simple, clear-cut, definitive — ways to tell when your democracy is in danger. Let’s go over them, shall we?
1. You know you’re drifting toward authoritarianism when… your Legislative Branch cedes power to your President.
Montesquieu (and later Madison) envisioned the Legislative Branch as the primary workhorse of government: it was made — in part — to check the President’s excesses. It has far more powers than the President, it’s more representative of the people than the President, and it was specifically given the ability to restrain, overrule, or remove the President. In all of U.S. history, the legislature was never intended to be subservient to executive power. When a President’s rule sidesteps legislative functions — and Congress allows it — the balance of power is subverted.
For the record, Putin’s rise initially faced resistance from his own legislative Duma — serving their constitutional function — until he cowed them, forced out resistors, and intimidated dissent, eventually rewriting the rules around elections to install loyalists exclusively.
Ask yourself: Has the U.S. Congress been ceding power to President Trump, diminishing in importance as the president’s role grows?
2. You know you’re drifting toward authoritarianism when… corporatism becomes normalized.
Corporatism is a political system in which for-profit business groups (i.e., mass media and energy) become the most impactful partners in the government’s policymaking process.
Authoritarians need industry leaders (and more importantly, their money) to spread their influence. Consequently, deals are made and favors traded (tax cuts in exchange for favorable reporting, for instance) that further enhance the power of the oligarchs and the President over that of the people.
For the record, Putin allowed profiteering for oligarchs who would help him (the Rotenburgs and Yuri Kovalchuk), and persecuted or jailed those who opposed him (Mikhail Borisovich Khodorkovsky).
Ask yourself: Has President Trump empowered corporations who aided him and diminished those who opposed him in order to gain more power?
3. You know you’re drifting toward authoritarianism when… you begin to wonder if your President will obey the Constitution.
Rule of law is considered one of the four pillars of democracy, and the U.S. — despite its foibles — has a strong tradition of adherence to this concept. For many countries, the constitution is just a piece of paper, altered on the fly when it suits the regime (example: every Chinese president before Xi Jinping had term limits; now — with a wave of the pen — he does not). If obeying the U.S. Constitution becomes a question rather than an expectation, that is not in the American tradition of democracy.
For the record, Putin regularly violates the civil liberties present within the Russian constitution: restricting protests, intimidating (or outright murdering) journalists, and jailing political opponents.
Ask yourself: Have President Trump’s actions ever threatened constitutional norms or the rule of law in pursuit of personal gain?
4. You know you’re drifting toward authoritarianism when… your President creates enemies for you to turn on, both internally and externally.
This is pretty much textbook fascism, frankly, but I’m shocked at how easily it’s getting overlooked. Look, one cannot be a hero without a villain — and who is more easily vanquished than the vulnerable? If you can turn your citizenry onto a witch hunt against its own people, that’s a useful tool for power grabs in the name of “security.” And if you can turn them against a foreign adversary, even better: nothing promotes nationalism like warfare… especially easily won warfare.
Ask yourself: Has President Trump encouraged us to turn on any of our fellow Americans… or created any new foreign enemies out of historic allies?
5. You know you’re drifting toward authoritarianism when… your President elevates loyalty to himself personally over loyalty to the country.
Consider: though most cabinet members are rotated out when a new president enters, the vast majority of bureaucrats and soldiers (everyone from staff sergeants to park rangers) stay in place, keeping the machinery of government running, as their oath is to the Constitution — not a specific human being. Authoritarians see that as insufficient, replacing elements of the bureaucracy — especially military and law enforcement — who will criticize implementation, or refuse illegal execution, of presidential will.
For the record, one of Putin’s first actions as President was to put the FSB (their version of the FBI) under direct control of the President (himself). Prior to that, there had been a detachment between law enforcement and political power, expected and traditional in western democracies. From May 17, 2000 onward, they became a tool of his will, incrementally expanded in power and wielded against his enemies.
Ask yourself: Has President Trump appointed government agents — especially military and law enforcement — who have vocalized loyalty to him personally, and advocated for vengeance against his political enemies?
Sigh. I’m tired, but I could go on and on. There’s a phrase that’s been paraded lately: “Democracy dies in darkness.” In my experience, that’s not necessarily what’s happening here. Despite the backslide in democratic qualities we’re experiencing, the one we have in spades is transparency: thanks to a vibrant media ecosystem — and Trump’s narcissistic self-promotion — we are constantly aware of the moves he’s making to subvert the norms of our regime.
That said, as democracy dies in America, it won’t be in darkness. It will be in plain sight — and with our permission.
Professor of Economics Case Western Rezerve University
