Answer to Question #189140 in History for ela

Question

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/26/us/louis-beam-white-supremacy-internet.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2056305119885328

1. Not all authoritarian social movements are racist, but social movements that are racist have a tendency to be authoritarian. Do you think this is true? Why or why not?

2. Through a quick bit of Internet sleuthing, can you find an authoritarian social movement of the 20th century, and identify what new media technology contributed to that movement's rise?

3. What moment in the videos (general) struck you as the most insightful into the reasons behind the rise of authoritarian movements

Answer 1

1. True. Generally speaking, authoritarianism is a one-way affair, one that runs from the top down. At the macro level, it consists of the ruler governing by fiat, with the ruled falling into line. At the micro level, authoritarianism consists of the culturally dominant group attempting to impose its beliefs on subordinate groups.
2. Many authoritarian regimes translate a long and successful history of control over other information and communication technologies into strong control of Internet development within their borders. Potential challenges to the state may arise from Internet use in several areas: the mass public, civil society, the economy, and the international community. Authoritarian states will likely respond to these challenges with a variety of reactive measures: restricting Internet access, filtering content, monitoring online behavior, or even prohibiting Internet use entirely. In addition, such states seek to extend central control through proactive strategies, guiding the development of the medium to promote their own interests and priorities.
3. Authoritarianism is on the march. It is not only on the march in relatively poor countries. It is on the march in well-off countries, too — including, most significantly, the US, the country that defended and promoted liberal democracy throughout the 20th century. Donald Trump is a classic example of a populist would-be authoritarian. US institutions may halt his rise to the unbridled power he seeks. But the threat he poses seems clear.