I think the word you are looking for is apartheid state? And I think a lot of people would agree the US was for basically most of its history.
The etymology/definition of “authoritarian”, clears up why this is a fallacy. Authoritarian has to do with government having ultimate and totally authority over all people (think draconian laws curtailing movement, freedom of speech). Some on the party may enjoin freedoms beyond the peasants, or an outside group like you are suggesting.
Fascism is often flavors of authoritarian and it also uses out groups to consolidate power.
I think your logic misses the mark, and many other readers might agree apartheid and/or fascism might better describe these portions of US history.
thats completely fair. its future historians who get to have settled terms and that only comes from us in the present doing our best to hash it out. By my assessments, the etymology and definition of authoritarian does support the idea that the US heavily involves autocratic elements in its governance, and can be described as authoritarian. I specifically avoid calling the US fascist because that’s an argument that mostly makes sense to people outside the US, and my core audience is within the imperial core. At the end of the day, I did just need to pick a term that seemed to fit best and be effective at communicating my argument, and authoritarianism is what ive settled on for the foreseeable future. Though, i would say there’s a lot of overlap in our thoughts on the subject. The core argument this meme is trying to reference is the idea that because segregation and chattel slavery were race based apartheid style systems, and that is a subsection of authoritarianism, then for most of US history the republic has operated as part of an authoritarian system. ==> so why does saying it out loud massively violate american taboos about its own history and relationship as a state to white supremacy? chiefly, that it was founded on it, and operated on it. until like … within living memory. thats the official version of events. bizarre. but its not bizarre. its exactly how language and societies react when states do this.
I think the word you are looking for is apartheid state? And I think a lot of people would agree the US was for basically most of its history.
The etymology/definition of “authoritarian”, clears up why this is a fallacy. Authoritarian has to do with government having ultimate and totally authority over all people (think draconian laws curtailing movement, freedom of speech). Some on the party may enjoin freedoms beyond the peasants, or an outside group like you are suggesting.
Fascism is often flavors of authoritarian and it also uses out groups to consolidate power.
I think your logic misses the mark, and many other readers might agree apartheid and/or fascism might better describe these portions of US history.
thats completely fair. its future historians who get to have settled terms and that only comes from us in the present doing our best to hash it out. By my assessments, the etymology and definition of authoritarian does support the idea that the US heavily involves autocratic elements in its governance, and can be described as authoritarian. I specifically avoid calling the US fascist because that’s an argument that mostly makes sense to people outside the US, and my core audience is within the imperial core. At the end of the day, I did just need to pick a term that seemed to fit best and be effective at communicating my argument, and authoritarianism is what ive settled on for the foreseeable future. Though, i would say there’s a lot of overlap in our thoughts on the subject. The core argument this meme is trying to reference is the idea that because segregation and chattel slavery were race based apartheid style systems, and that is a subsection of authoritarianism, then for most of US history the republic has operated as part of an authoritarian system. ==> so why does saying it out loud massively violate american taboos about its own history and relationship as a state to white supremacy? chiefly, that it was founded on it, and operated on it. until like … within living memory. thats the official version of events. bizarre. but its not bizarre. its exactly how language and societies react when states do this.