Autocracy in America

Consolidate Power

Sep 20, 2024

Donald Trump, the former President of the U.S., is known for his controversial plans to slash the federal workforce and consolidate power. Huey Long, the autocratic former Governor of Louisiana, serves as a historical backdrop, illustrating how charismatic leaders can manipulate systems for personal gain. The conversation delves into tactics like electoral manipulation and media censorship, reflecting on Long's legacy and the implications for democracy today. The parallels drawn paint a worrying picture of authoritarian trends emerging in American governance.

34:21

Episode guests

Donald Trump

Huey Long

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Donald Trump's plan to eliminate federal workers if re-elected reflects a historical pattern of consolidating power seen in past autocracies.

The parallels between Huey Long's tactics and contemporary political maneuvers demonstrate the potential resurgence of authoritarian practices in the U.S.

Deep dives

State Capture and Authoritarianism

State capture occurs when institutions intended to serve the public are manipulated to benefit those in power, creating an environment of fear among citizens. In the case of Poland, an autocratic populist party exploited legitimate electoral victories to replace civil servants with loyalists, thus consolidating power. This manipulation extended to using state institutions to finance party members and targeted political rivals through the tax and legal systems, leading to accusations of state-backed harassment. The story parallels historical examples, like Huey Long in Louisiana, who crafted a playbook for capturing governmental processes for personal gain.

Intro

2min

Huey Long and American Authoritarianism

4min

Political Tyranny in Louisiana

7min

Louisiana's Constitutional Conundrum

4min

Concerns Over Legislative Inaction and National Power Dynamics

2min

Electoral Authoritarianism and Power Dynamics

10min

The Threat of Military Influence on Elections

3min

Donald Trump has vowed to eliminate hundreds of workers across federal agencies if he becomes president again. Consolidating power and placing friends in key roles are textbook autocratic maneuvers, but they also are not new in the United States. This episode revisits the story of Louisiana Governor Huey Long, who sought to take over the apparatus of government in his state, just as illiberal leaders have done in other countries.

This is the third episode of Autocracy in America, a new five-part series about authoritarian tactics already at work in the United States and where to look for them.

Autocracy in America is produced by The Atlantic and made possible with support from the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University, an academic and public forum dedicated to strengthening global democracy through powerful civic engagement and informed, inclusive dialogue.

Music in this episode by Tellsonic (“Time Traveller,” “Desert Whispers”), Spectacles Wallet and Watch (“Secret Agents”), Howard Harper-Barnes (“Mysterious Forest”), J. F. Gloss (“Mysterious Figures”), Luella Gren (“Sleep Forever”), Ruiqi Zhao (“Ancient Spells”), and Rob Smierciak (“Mystery March”).

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Autocracy in America

Consolidate Power

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

State Capture and Authoritarianism

The Tactics of Autocrats

Echoes of Authoritarianism in Modern Politics

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts