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| A jackboot |
I remember, all too vividly, being a young man, and finding I could be attractive to women—some women. The world being what it is, temptation came my way. Suffice it to say, things did not go well.
What does that have to do with authoritarianism? Bear with me a moment.
The appeal of a single individual taking charge is pervasive within humanity, or so it seems. Even the more collectively minded cultures are prone to doing this. How many dictators have there been in group-centered cultures? As many as in the more individualist ones, I'm certain.
Or if that argument doesn't sway you, how about this? How many corporations anywhere don't have a CEO?
Or how about a Heinlein quote on the subject, from Time Enough for Love (p. 246)?
Autocracy is based on the assumption that one man is wiser than a million men. Let's play that over again, too. Who decides?
(It comes after his one-liner on democracy:
Democracy is based on the assumption that a million men are wiser than one man. How's that again? I missed something.
(It just goes to show that governing isn't simple.) (If it was, we would all have the same form of government, and wouldn't be having discussions like this.)
The fact is, all forms of government have a fatal flaw, it's just more pronounced in an authoritarian form. One more quote explains why:
"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
- Lord Acton
If you've got an autocrat in place, his (it's almost always a he) whims have nothing to check them. He can issue an edict, and it has to happen, no matter how bad it might be for however many people. This is why the Roman Republic and the USA put checks and balances in place, to keep this kind of corruption under control.
Until it's evaded, anyway.
Consider if your autocrat is tempted to, for example, exile anyone who criticizes him, what's to stop him? Or from denying anyone governmental protections? Seize their property?
Do I seem to be doom-mongering? Overreacting?
I don't think so. I know from personal experience what happens when something tempts you, and there's nothing to stop you yielding.