Alcibiades
Well-known member
I submit that "authoritarianism" isn't actually a useful concept.
All functioning states are authoritarian. As in, they have laws enforced by state power. This word is actually generally a word used for rhetorical effect against states that someone doesn't like, implying that they are also disliked by their population, whether they actually are or not.
It would be trivially easy to describe the US or Britain as "authoritarian" if I wanted to. The UK is probably the most surveiiled society in history.
Lots of them do that (I was one, so I know). Usually only up into 1928 or so though.
All functioning states are authoritarian. As in, they have laws enforced by state power. This word is actually generally a word used for rhetorical effect against states that someone doesn't like, implying that they are also disliked by their population, whether they actually are or not.
It would be trivially easy to describe the US or Britain as "authoritarian" if I wanted to. The UK is probably the most surveiiled society in history.
At this point, I won't be surprised if the American far left-wing (small as it is) goes full circle and starts praising Russia in the 20s-30s.
Lots of them do that (I was one, so I know). Usually only up into 1928 or so though.
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