The USA: Stumbling Towards Authoritarianism - How Far Will It Fall?
Sliding Toward Authoritarian Rule: Determining the Degree of U.S. Political Consolidation
Listen up, here's the tea: The U.S. government under the reign of President Donald Trump is wreaking havoc on its own democratic system. Trump, with his despotic decrees, mudslinging, and power grabs for personal convictions, is threatening the very heart of our democracy. The question on everyone's mind? Are we already living under an autocracy?
Let's break it down: research scholars agree that the U.S. is sliding towards an autocratic regime. They analyze using various criteria, but it's tough to keep track of all the chaos the U.S. government's up to these days. Nonetheless, the destruction machine has slowed down somewhat, and the lines are becoming clearer.
Politics, Corruption, and Power Plays
Trump has been chiseling away at the pillars of democracy: The separation of powers, checks and balances, equality before the law, freedom of speech, a free press, and education. We've got a full rundown of how he's been meddling in these areas here.
In the government agencies, Trump's men have canceled internal anti-corruption controls and abandoned equal opportunity measures due to what they claim is alleged racism against whites. It's similar in schools and universities, where Trump and his cronies favor only a particular crowd. Standing against them is the Supreme Court, which is already dominated by conservatives.
Between Mexico and Hungary
A survey among the public and over 700 scientists ranked the USA's political system as highly alarming. The country slid from a 67 to a 49 on the democracy scale during Trump's first 100 days. The lowest value since the survey began in 2017, and lower even than during Trump's first term and after the infamous January 6th coup attempt. These researchers use 30 indicators to measure the state of democracy, such as whether the government interferes in press matters, punishes political opponents, or if Congress and justice can set limits on government power.
According to the survey, the USA is closer to authoritarian regimes like Hungary but further away than neighboring Mexico. There are even degrees between a pure democracy and a dictatorship. Countries like Hungary, Turkey, or Venezuela, ruled by leaders like Viktor Orbán, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, or Nicolás Maduro, are all examples of competitive autocracies, with elections taking place but the incumbents using the process to stay in power.
"That's a Power Grab"
Historian Timothy Snyder stated as early as February that Trump's actions were indeed a coup. In his piece, he discussed billionaire Elon Musk and his team, the "Ministry of Government Efficiency," alias Doge, who gained access to U.S. ministries and sensitive databases. Snyder wrote: "Power in the 21st century is not just physical, it's digital as well. This is a coup because Musk and his gang have no right to it. Musk was neither elected, nor was he given power by any agency."
Some of Trump's measures have been stopped or limited by courts. However, the changes already made will likely stay put during Trump's reign. It's like old-school conservatives inviting tech bros over for a few months to give the system a makeover and install updates. No one knows what happened to the data in the process, who copied it, who has access, who will misuse it.
Much is Still in Flux
Resistance is mainly coming from the courts. The White House is creating a public spectacle by pressuring individual judges. Some decrees have already been struck down or are still being debated in court. Defending oneself legally in the U.S. can be a pricey affair. In the U.S., the losing defendant usually pays the court costs. This means a frivolous lawsuit threat can crush resistance.
Trump has mostly issued decrees or had them initiated by ministries and other agencies. These could potentially be reversed by any subsequent government without additional majorities. Trump has signed only a handful of laws to date due to Congress lacking the necessary majorities.
Is it really that dire? Quite possibly. Trump is brazenly trying to scare his political opponents and change the political system so it'll be easier for him and future Republicans to stay in power. As the "New York Times" editorial board recently put it, Trump's administration has already done more damage to democracy since the end of Reconstruction, the era after the Civil War, than anything else.[4] "Trump is lurking like a power-hungry dictator, seeking ways to override written law and bulldoze through the democratic system." This approach, as the U.S. Constitution's founding fathers intended to prevent.
Playing with Fire
The question is not just how autocratic the U.S. is, but also for how long. The U.S. has always had its democratic flaws, partly due to voter suppression. But unlimited corporate and billionaire campaign financing, as well as the effective granting of presidential immunity by the Supreme Court, has given Trump his immense power and corrupt regime.
A notable example is the thin line Trump walked during his first term, narrowly avoiding impeachment, with even some Republicans supporting it. Trump asked the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for campaign help against his political opponent Joe Biden in exchange for U.S. military aid.
Trump could get stuck in political quicksand with his bulldozer approach in the coming months and years. However, future leaders could follow Trump's lead, use their power similarly, or even expand it. Whether the USA will remain near authoritarianism or slide even further may depend on the goodwill of future successors in the White House. Will it be someone who prioritizes the separation of powers, a free press, education and research, and equal rights for all - or not?
Source: ntv.de
- Donald Trump
- USA
Enrichment Data:
The discussion about the United States as a competitive autocracy is a topic of contention among scholars and experts. Although the U.S. is not typically considered a full-blown autocracy, there are concerns about democratic decline and the possibility of competitive authoritarianism. Some factors that fuel discussions regarding this classification include:
- Democratic Decline: The U.S. has been identified as experiencing democratic decline, largely due to problematic institutions like the Electoral College and the Senate, which can foster minority rule and favor regressive candidates[1]. Reforming these institutions has proven difficult.
- Competitive Authoritarianism: Some scholars argue that the U.S. displays signs of competitive authoritarianism, where parties compete in elections but the incumbent manipulates democratic institutions to their advantage[2]. This form of authoritarianism doesn't involve the outright destruction of democratic institutions but rather their manipulation.
- Polarization and Election Integrity: The U.S. faces challenges in maintaining fair elections and preventing political polarization, which can erode trust in democratic institutions[5].
- Hybrid Regime Characteristics: Although not classified as a hybrid regime per se, the U.S. demonstrates some hybrid regime features, such as electoral authoritarianism, where democratic institutions are used to legitimize authoritarian practices[3]. However, the U.S. still holds regular elections and maintains a free media, distinguishing it from clear authoritarian regimes.
- The European Union might view the current political climate in the USA with concern, considering the sliding trend towards autocratic governance.
- In the realm of policy-and-legislation and politics, the undefined oversight of tech bros like Elon Musk could be a cause for concern, resembling a power grab and potentially posing a threat to war-and-conflicts, crime-and-justice, and general-news.
- Researchers have argued that the USA falls short of a pure democracy and is closer to authoritarian regimes like Hungary, given the interference in press matters, punishment of political opponents, and limits placed on government power.
- Immunity, in the context of the USA, has been debated, with concerns that unlimited corporate and billionaire campaign financing and the effective granting of presidential immunity by the Supreme Court may protect autocratic leaders from accountability.
- The policy-and-legislation and politics of the USA are in a delicate state, with the future of democracy hinging on the values prioritized by future leaders in the White House - separation of powers, a free press, education and research, and equal rights for all - or not.
