By Osian Lynn
A step-by-step review on how Donald Trump can become a dictator, with the support of the American people. This article is best read alongside “A dictator’s rise to power.”
The Ideal Climate
The United States is suffering from many crises: economic strife, record numbers of homelessness, gaping wealth inequality, political divide, and so much more. There isn’t a single cause of these issues, rather a series of system failures. Today, people take to social media to discuss these issues and survey the state of their country. And it’s here, on social media, that political propaganda is most easily spread–especially when a politician has a large online audience. Think of it like a megaphone for the ultra-powerful.
Step 1: Appeal to the Angry
Now that the conditions are right for an emerging dictator, the first step is to appeal to the angry populace. Despite his elevated status (one which he has maintained since birth), Trump has managed to liken himself to working-class Americans. He has successfully become a strong leader to rally behind–one that frequently attacks certain social groups.
Did Trump or Hitler say that immigrants are “poisoning the blood of our nation?” If you said Trump, you would be correct; if you said Hitler, you would also be correct! Trump’s remarks about immigration mirror Hitler’s own stance on immigrants that he outlined in “Mein Kampf.”
With this, radicalized Americans now have a common enemy to defeat: immigrants.
Step 2: Remember the Good Ol’ Days
With his audience now charmed by relatability and rallied behind a common enemy, an emerging dictator’s next step would be to remind his audience of how great the country once was (that is, before the common enemy and opponents ruined it). Hitler did this by using German nationalism and promising to bring greatness back to Germany. Trump is doing this by using American nationalism and exploiting Christianity (and we all know the famous MAGA slogan).
Step 3: Fan the Flames
At this step, an aspiring dictator needs to keep their followers angry and afraid. Attacks should center on the established enemy and any opposition to the party’s agenda. And threatening political opponents is something Trump excels at. Hitler, of course, also frequently attacked any opposition to his political agenda.
Of course, propaganda should be nonstop. Trump has been an excellent model for this by discrediting journalists and media outlets that speak against him.
Step 4: Secure Political Power
This is the final step in becoming a dictator: obtaining power and never letting go. While this can be done through a coup, it can also be done through the political process. When Hitler became chancellor of Germany, he quickly consolidated power, manipulated educational institutions and weaponized the military against his political adversaries. All of these changes are reflected in Trump’s plans for his next presidency. And we are not talking about this enough.
Trump has followed my step-by-step guide to dictatorship to a T. In this article, I have laid out only a brief, crude overview of the warning signs of Trump’s rise to power; other journalists have explained this more extensively (several of which I have linked in this article). Despite the overwhelming evidence that we should be concerned, Trump has enabled his supporters to be hardened in their resolve.
If history repeats itself, we saw it coming.
