Emergence of Authoritarian States

Conditions in which authoritarian states emerged

• Economic Factors:

  • Cuba:

    Economic dependence on sugar exports + American influence

    Contributed to social inequalities.

  • Germany:

    The devastation of WWI + economic turmoil and famine

    Started revolutionary fervor.

  Economic crises can weaken democratic institutions and increase social and political polarization, creating opportunities for authoritarian leaders to consolidate power and undermine democratic norms.

• Social Division:

  Authoritarian leaders can use societal divisions to weaken the opposition and consolidate their own power by diminishing certain groups for economic hardships/social problems. Authoritarian leaders often present themselves as strong, decisive figures who can restore order and stability by exploiting fears of chaos.

  • Ethnic nationalism by Adolf Hitler (Germany)

    • Aryan (Nordic/German) Supremacy over Jewish.

    • Scapegoated Jews as the supposed source of Germany's problems.

    • Hitler's expansionist ambitions were driven by Lebensraum (living space) for Germans. The justification for territorial conquest and colonization in Eastern Europe to provide land and resources for the expansion and prosperity of the Aryan race.

    • Promoted racial purity to eliminate racial impurities through eugenics programs: forced sterilization and euthanasia of the inferior. The implementation of strict laws + regulations to prevent racial mixing and preserve the purity of the Aryan gene pool.

  • Cuba

• Impact of War:

  War easily opens to the expansion of the powers of leaders as they use censorship, surveillance, and the suspension of civil liberties as necessary measures to protect the country from internal or external enemies.

  The disruption caused by war also creates conditions that make populations more receptive to authoritarian rule.

  • Social norms may be disordered

  • Economic stability may be threatened

  • Fear of the enemy arises

  Wartime propaganda and censorship can manipulate public opinion and suppress alternative viewpoints.

• Weakness of the Political System:

  Weak or unstable political institutions also increase the chances of authoritarianism. When traditional democratic processes fail to deliver desired outcomes or are seen as ineffective, people lose trust + loyalty and turn to stronger depicted leaders who promise new decisive actions. The weak/unstable political institutions are unable to address the pressing challenges.

  • Fidel Castro (Cuba)

    The Cuban Revolution (1959) overthrew the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista and established a communist regime in Cuba suppressing political opposition through censorship, imprisonment, and persecution.

  • Biennio Rosso (1919-1920)

    • Followed the end of WWI with widespread strikes, labor unrest, and socialist agitation, as well as the emergence of factory councils and workers' control movements.

    • The rise of radical leftist movements (anarchists + syndicalists) advocated for more militant forms of action and direct confrontation with the capitalist state.

Methods used to establish authoritarian states

• March on Rome (1922):

  • Benito Mussolini's rise to power + the establishment of the fascist regime in Italy.

  • Italy was beset by economic turmoil, social unrest, and political instability. Benito Mussolini founded the National Fascist Party (1921) also known as the Blackshirts that converged on Rome from different parts of Italy to pressure the government to appoint Mussolini as prime minister.

• Ideology:

  • Nationalism (a shared sense of national identity and pride) is used by authoritarian regimes rallies to justify aggressive foreign policies, suppress dissent, and promote a sense of superiority over other nations or ethnic groups.

  • Socialism/Communism has Marxist/Leninist roots that emphasize the ideals of equality, social justice, and collective ownership of resources; however they often prioritize the consolidation of power by the ruling elite.

  • Religious Fundamentalism (religion plays a significant role in society) has leaders using religious rhetoric to legitimize their rule, appeal to conservative values, and justify repressive policies in the name of morality or divine mandate.

Consolidation and Maintenance of Power

Use of legal methods

• Use of Force:

  Coercion suppresses dissent and opposition. Leaders employ security forces, secret police, and paramilitary groups to intimidate, harass, and arrest political opponents. Arbitrary arrests, disappearances, torture, and extrajudicial killings are common tactics used to instill fear and quash dissent.

  • Brownshirts (1920)

    • The Sturmabteilung (Germany): a paramilitary organization that played a significant role in Adolf Hitler's rise to power and the establishment of the Nazi regime.

    • Provided security at Nazi Party meetings and disrupting the gatherings of political opponents. Grew rapidly in size and became increasingly violent and militant, engaging in street battles with rival political factions and intimidating opponents through acts of thuggery and violence.

  Authoritarian leaders also use legal and institutional mechanisms to consolidate their power and neutralize potential threats like manipulating electoral processes, stacking courts and institutions with loyalists, and enacting laws restricting political freedoms and civil liberties.

  • Nuremberg Laws (1935)

    • Formed the legal basis for the persecution of Jews and other minorities in Nazi Germany.

    • Reich Citizenship Law (1935)

      Defined who was considered a citizen of the German Reich: only those of German or related blood could be citizens, effectively excluding Jews and other minorities from citizenship.

    • Law for the Protection of German Blood and German Honor (1935)

      Prohibited marriages and sexual relations between Jews and Aryans. Also outlawed the employment of female Aryan servants under the age of 45 in Jewish households to prevent the mix of German blood by Jews and to preserve the racial purity of the German people.

• Charismatic Leadership:

  Hitler presented himself as the embodiment of the German nation: the Führer.

• Propaganda:

  Shapes public opinion and rallies support for the authoritarian regime. Authoritarian leaders use state-controlled media, censorship, and manipulation of information to propagate their ideology, glorify their leadership, and demonize perceived enemies.

  • Volksgemeinschaft

    Promoted by the Nazi regime in Germany as part of its ideological framework and the superiority of the Aryan race emphasizing the need for racial purity and homogeneity

  • Kinder, Kuche, und Kirche

    Dictated that a woman's primary duties and responsibilities revolved around caring for her children, managing the household, and participating in religious activities.

Opposition

• Suppression:

  Authoritarian regimes typically suppress opposition through censorship, harassment, imprisonment, or violence. Dissidents, political opponents, and critics are often labeled as enemies of the state and dealt with accordingly.

• Co-optation:

  Authoritarian regimes may offer incentives or concessions to certain groups in exchange for their loyalty or compliance.

  • Stresa Front (1935)

    • A diplomatic agreement reached between France, the United Kingdom, and Italy in response to growing concerns over Adolf Hitler's decision to rearm Germany and violate the terms of the Treaty of Versailles. The three major European powers issued a joint declaration reaffirming their commitment to uphold the terms of the Treaty of Versailles and to resist any attempts by Germany to alter the existing balance of power in Europe.

    • Italy invaded Ethiopia, violating the principles of the Stresa agreement and undermining the unity of the signatories. France and the United Kingdom, preoccupied with their own interests and concerns, were reluctant to take strong action against Italy, leading to a weakening of the alliance.

• Elimination:

  Authoritarian regimes might resort to extreme measures such as assassination, mass incarceration, or exile to eliminate perceived threats to their power.

  • Giacomo Matteoti (1924)

    Delivered a speech in Parliament denouncing the widespread electoral fraud and violence committed by the Fascists during the recent general elections. He accused Mussolini and his supporters of undermining democracy and violating the rights of political opponents. Matteotti's speech caused a sensation and provoked outrage among anti-Fascist forces. Just weeks after his speech, Matteotti was abducted by a group of Fascist thugs while walking home from Parliament. His body was found showing signs of torture and violence.

  • Night of the Long Knives (1934)

    • Hitler feared that the blackshirts posed a threat to his authority. Ordered the Night of the Long Knives to purge the blackshirt leadership. Röhm and other blackshirt leaders were arrested and executed.

    • The Schutzstaffel, under the leadership of Heinrich Himmler, emerged as the dominant paramilitary force in Nazi Germany.