Authoritarian Checklist

□ Win elections on fear & populist promises
□ Reclaim power for the People from the “elites”
□ Purge highest positions in key government institutions
□ Place cronies in positions of highest power regardless of their competence
□ Brush off any critical press as “fake”, “corrupt”, “acting against the People”
□ Bluntly lie to the People
□ Ban press from parliament/congress/White House or selectively limit their access
□ Limit press freedom & quietly take control of mainstream media
□ Label opposition & protesters as “traitors”, “elites trying to reclaim power”
□ Limit freedom of assembly
□ Fix highest court to be able to bypass Constitution “for the good of the people”
□ Limit minority & women’s rights
□ Ruin the economy to fulfil your populist promises in the short term
□ Alienate international partners and allies, “making your country great again”
□ Quietly fix electoral law under the disguise of making it better
□ Start over, until there’s nothing left…

– With love, your Eastern European friends.

Follow

http://learnfromeurope.org/authoritarian-checklist/