Beware of authoritarianism and conspiratorialism, twin threats to our democracy
Two experts discuss disquieting impulses in the electorate.
By Scot Lehigh Globe Columnist,Updated December 18, 2020, 9:44 a.m.
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Photo illustration by Lesley Becker/Globe Staff; Adobe; Globe file photo
Anyone who values a healthy democracy should be concerned about two trends distressingly evident in the last half-decade here in America: an affinity for authoritarianism and a penchant for conspiracy theories. Both are swirling currents that erode democratic norms.
Neither is new. Neither is confined to one side of the political spectrum. But in modern American history, we had not seen a pronounced and unapologetic authoritarian succeed in a national campaign until Donald Trump. Further, itâs hard to recall a period in modern memory when conspiracy theories held such sway in America.