Defining Authoritarianism

Authoritarianism is a method of government that includes the consolidation of unfair powers in a leader and the oppression of the individual rights of citizens. 

Authoritarian leaders share the following characteristics: 

• An unfailing belief in their superiority (be it moral, intellectual, physical)
• The expectation of absolute and immediate obediance
• Lack concern for the wishes, opinions, or rights of others
• Become reactionary and abusive when questioned of challenged 
• Unfairly punish people for both political and personal disagreement
• Desire praise and adulation

Examples of authoritarianism include Creon from Sophocles' Antigone,  Stalin, Hitler, Trujillo, North Korea.  Authoritarian governments include dictatorships and police states. Authoritarianism leads to a stifling of dissent or differing opinions.  Authoritarian leaders and governments will ignore, hide, and lie about facts that challenge their narratives.  They will punish any forms of dissent or disagreement, no matter how small.  They can become incredibly controlling of details people's lives, and also desire to control their citizens thoughts and emotions.

Sound familiar?