Amid rising tensions in the political landscape, many individuals—including fired federal workers and university presidents—are refraining from voicing concerns due to fears of repercussions from figures like President Trump and Elon Musk. This silence indicates a significant shift in public discourse, with people on both sides of politics feeling intimidated and fearful for their safety. Harvard professor Steven Levitsky warns that this behavior signals a possible drift towards authoritarianism, where influential societal actors feel compelled to alter their actions to avoid government backlash and protect their interests.
When you see important societal actors changing their behavior to avoid government wrath, that's a sign that we've crossed the line into some form of authoritarianism.
There is a chill spreading over political debate in Washington, with people intimidated by the prospect of online attacks from Mr. Trump and Mr. Musk.
Collection
[
|
...
]