Javier Corrales: All my life I have studied democratization and autocratization. [View all]

[LiberalArkie]

All my life I have studied democratization and autocratization. My 1st field trip was to newly democratic Argentina. I then added autocracies to my portfolio: Cuba, Ven, etc. I think I can recognize the stages of transition to authoritarianism. Here are the boxes Trump has already checked off.

https://bsky.app/profile/javiercorrales.bsky.social/post/3lic77bysjk23


1. President thinks he is saving the country.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/15/us/politics/trump-saves-country-quote.html

2. Ruling party acts like a rubber stamp. They like his policies and/or fear his retribution. Either way, they never say never. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/02/06/us/politics/cabinet-confirmation-votes.html

3. Overuse of executive orders, including declaring national emergencies
https://www.hklaw.com/en/general-pages/trumps-2025-executive-orders-chart

4. Colonize the federal bureaucracy. Fire the staff. Replace them loyalists. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/02/15/federal-layoffs-firings-2025/78761259007/

5. Defund institutions as a way to force compliance.
https://www.aclu.org/news/civil-liberties/trumps-attempt-to-unilaterally-control-state-and-local-funding-is-dangerous-dumb-and-undemocratic

6. Trash-talk institutions govt dislikes. Create images of institutions as guilty actors, harming agents, without conducting reviews or involving court procedures. Argue that their campaign is intended to save taxpayers' money
https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/02/at-usaid-waste-and-abuse-runs-deep/

7. Mobilize hate across society. Encouraging people to develop intense hate of some out-group (illegal immigrants, trans folks, ethnic minorities, Hollywood celebrities, elite colleges, dissenters)
https://www.cbsnews.com/video/trump-blames-democrats-dei-deadly-plane-crash-without-evidence/

8. Replace the rule of law with autocratic legalism, which means: for my friends, everything; for my enemies, the law. For autocratic legalism, you need to end the independence of the justice department
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-shakes-justice-department-deeply-conservative-prosecutors-head-exits-2025-02-15/

9. Harass the free press. Create a hierarchy: good press (treat me kindly), full access; bad press, no access. Entangle news organization in legal battles
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/14/associated-press-banned-air-force-one-018993

10. Create information blackouts
https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/2025/02/11/donald-trump-is-plunging-government-websites-into-darkness-with-profound-consequences-for-american-democracy/

11. Defy the courts when they turn against you. Make sure you have a conflict with the court, so that you can counterattack them en bloc
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/16/opinion/what-if-trump-defies-courts.html