Experts on authoritarianism say Trumps presidency is getting even worse

Justin Salhani
World Reporter at ThinkProgress
4 hrs ago
Experts on authoritarianism say Trump’s presidency is getting even worse
One scholar described Steve Bannon’s role in the administration as “pretty terrifying.”


Donald Trump has been president for just over a week, and experts on authoritarianism are already expressing serious concern about a number of policy decisions and executive orders made by the new administration.

After a few eventful days filled with new executive orders, ThinkProgress followed up last week’s survey of academics with some new questions for America’s authoritarianism scorecard. Here’s what they said:
President Trump is disturbingly similar to candidate Trump.

Robert Paxton, the Mellon Professor Emeritus of Social Science at Columbia University: “It’s hard to say we are on track to establish a fascist dictatorship. Alternative forces are still there. Though there’s not much doubt of the desire of Trump to govern as dictator.”

Sheri Berman, a political scientist at Barnard College: “I watched {the ABC} interview. I don’t understand why I’m still stunned, but I still can’t believe I’m watching this. That’s who he is. A lot of people pointed out what is both obvious but shocking at same time. He’s the same person he was during the campaign so in a way it’s very straight forward and there’s been no change. Some of us implicitly expected both his personality and policies would moderate somewhat. We got what we should have expected.”

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https://thinkprogress.org/experts-on-authoritarianism-say-trumps-presidency-is-getting-even-worse-c9c2ac76610f#.3x4hq1l7e