Authoritarian #TrumpAdministration is cultivating obedience with its attacks on former officials - just like dictators do… “To consolidate power, authoritarians never act alone. They need loyal allies who will support attempts to cement control. The world has seen this play out with Rafael Trujillo in the Dominican Republic, Nayib Bukele in El Salvador and Viktor Orban in Hungary, to name a few.
And it’s also occurring under President Donald Trump, according to scholars Joe Wright from Penn State and Erica Frantz of Michigan State, who study the origins of elected strongmen. They say Trump’s use of the Justice Department to investigate former officials who have criticized him – namely Miles Taylor and Chris Krebs – is more than just revenge. It also dissuades current officials from defying the president as he seeks to implement his policy agenda.
To reach those goals, authoritarians need political loyalty, people who will do their bidding” #USPol #USPolitics #AmericanCoup #Fascism
https://theconversation.com/cultivating-obedience-using-the-justice-department-to-attack-former-officials-consolidates-power-and-deters-dissent-256397