Uploaded February 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 hours ago
Modern tyranny is terror management. When the terrorist attack comes, remember that authoritarians exploit such events in order to consolidate power. The sudden disaster that requires the end of checks and balances, the dissolution of opposition parties, the suspension of freedom of expression, the right to a fair trial, and so on, is the oldest trick in the Hitlerian book. Do not fall for it.
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This passage warns that authoritarians use crises; especially terrorist attacks or national emergencies—as an excuse to seize more power and dismantle democratic safeguards. Historically, sudden disasters have been exploited to justify sweeping changes that erode freedoms, often under the guise of protecting national security.
Leaders claim that to “keep people safe,” they must suspend civil liberties, silence opposition, or expand surveillance;
and once these powers are taken, they are rarely given back.
- Be skeptical of leaders calling for emergency powers that reduce freedoms. Once rights are suspended, they are rarely restored.
- Oppose laws that expand surveillance or censorship in response to crises.
- Pay attention to how different groups are treated under “national security” policies. Are certain groups unfairly targeted?
- Hold governments accountable even during times of crisis. Democracy must function especially in emergencies, not be suspended because of them.
Modern tyranny is terror management. When the terrorist attack comes, remember that authoritarians exploit such events in order to consolidate power. The sudden disaster that requires the end of checks and balances, the dissolution of opposition parties, the suspension of freedom of expression, the right to a fair trial, and so on, is the oldest trick in the Hitlerian book. Do not fall for it.
————-
This passage warns that authoritarians use crises; especially terrorist attacks or national emergencies—as an excuse to seize more power and dismantle democratic safeguards. Historically, sudden disasters have been exploited to justify sweeping changes that erode freedoms, often under the guise of protecting national security.
Leaders claim that to “keep people safe,” they must suspend civil liberties, silence opposition, or expand surveillance;
and once these powers are taken, they are rarely given back.
- Be skeptical of leaders calling for emergency powers that reduce freedoms. Once rights are suspended, they are rarely restored.
- Oppose laws that expand surveillance or censorship in response to crises.
- Pay attention to how different groups are treated under “national security” policies. Are certain groups unfairly targeted?
- Hold governments accountable even during times of crisis. Democracy must function especially in emergencies, not be suspended because of them.
