Thanks for this researched-based approach, Paul, and even more the attention to "leadership." Leaders are elected by the people and for the people, but that does not mean that they have to be blind puppets of the people, especially during times of crisis-induced or demagoguery-induced desperation and paranoia. My view is that today's crisis of democracy can be explained by a failure of ethical leadership. I think I explain it best in the below piece, in case you are interested in further short reading (-: Best, Eli
A day of ignominy in the U.S. Senate, one year later: Remembering Trump’s impeachment acquittal
Yes, plenty of colorful words! Thanks for reading, Peter, and for your encouragement. Really, the truth is that I am using my doctor skills and trying to figure out the "diagnosis" and, with that in hand, the cure or future preventive strategy.
Thanks, Wendi. The audience is reform-minded citizens, political leaders, and lawmakers from either party. In particular, it is political parties that hold the greatest responsibility for preventing the rise of demagogues within their ranks.
Eli, I am not sure finding the “right” word for whatever Trump “is” will mean that much. Whatever the word, it’s what he has done and could do that chills. I find “gatekeepers” to be the key word to your ongoing project. Who are they in history? Our history? Any apt analogies to today? Do we, can we, have gatekeepers in an our here and now atomized world of “identity and its associated grievances” politics and press? Are gatekeepers anachronisms? What can we do, if needed, in lieu of functioning gatekeepers? What might be enough to stave off the demagogue’s return? Get to work! We need your passionate intelligence forging ahead.
Very compelling, Harrison. I do think the word "demagogue" is crucial because otherwise what are we going to "gatekeep"? One book describes the situation as "democracy begets tyranny through demagogues." I am a true believer in that theory. That said, I now have two "keywords" to communication. "Gatekeeper" and "Demagogue." Very nice. Thanks for pushing that.
What are alternatives to gatekeeping? Truly, I cannot think of one. It is the only solution. The singularity. The sine qua non. The barbarity of human nature must be contained by gatekeeping humans themselves and their tools, like constitutions. Unless you can think of an alternative? I would love to know one, or two.
William Harrison Hobart III... I will offer that it's helpful to dig into history and the nature of things so that we can understand structurally and systemically what's gone wrong or funky and find ways to counter that. It's not for everyone, though, for sure.
I also offer that our organization is a brand-new nonprofit set up to take some of the action you're talking about, if you're interested. I don't want to look like I'm spamming up this post, though, so I won't post links. But it may be of interest if you're looking for some tangible actions. We are super brand new though so we're just getting activities going, and will be announcing those this week. Good luck and be well. I hear you on the chills; and the danger Trump and now the whole movement poses. It's an unprecedented threat, and we need to do unprecedented things to counter it. - Vanessa
Critique offer by Chris Donohoe: I think you are definitely getting it right. Should you continue the demagogue thread in the future you might think about using very specific examples of Trump's language that identify him as a demagogue and comparing them to historical analogues and perhaps interjecting why this scares you and should scare all of us. This may not be approach you want to pursue but history in its specificity can be a great teacher.
Eli, I really appreciate your thinking, writing and putting together this resource. On the "Demagogue" piece, I don't disagree with anything you write there. Democracy requires constant renewal to keep strong, but that constant renewal creates ongoing openings for demagoguery to infect the system; thus the paradox. The higher the rate cell reproduction, the more opportunities for a mutation; and the Trump mutation seems to be metastasizing! Agree that precise terminology is important - but mostly as a tool to find solutions. How to combat demagoguery - certainly one key is to maintain the rule of law. But longer term, a more fundamental approach is needed: how to treat the underlying conditions that are making so many Americans vulnerable to the demagogue? I hope your essays will begin to engage with that difficult enterprise. Cheers cousin.
Very helpful, Andrew. This helps me to clarify that "precise terminology is important . . . mostly as a tool to find solutions." Regarding the underlying conditions, one important one is in fact the absence today of party gatekeepers. There are none, and in the past there were. Paradoxically enough, I'd say one of the critical underlying conditions is demagoguery. It brings out the beast in us. That, of course, and economic discontent and culture wars. LMK if you think of anything to add to this list. Stay well.
I think what is missing from the lexicon is a word that combines authoritarian with democratically elected. The threat is within the political system it is not some extra-constitutional power grab but the gradual chipping away at norms until we are left with nothing that resembles a standard democracy. Examples of this are Erdogan in Turkey, Orban in Hungary, Putin in Russia, Bolsonaro in Brazil, Duterte in the Philippines. There were no revolutions in these countries just the slow dismantling of safeguards and the stuffing of courts with cronies and loyalists to allow for largely unconstrained one man / one party rule.
Good post. The first time I heard "demagogue" used to describe Trump as a danger was about a week before the 2016 Iowa Caucuses. It was whispered by a high-up operative in the O'Malley campaign, with the full weight of the threat coming across in the moment; and clearly whispered out of fear that others in that same room were not ready yet to take the threat seriously. I had already been watching Trump more closely since the fall of 2015, as a friend in homeland security at the time had warned me of the support and excitement he was getting from the Boogaloo Boys and from other white supremacists and domestic violent extremists (DVEs). After hearing the whispered "demagogue" comment in February of 2016, I started digging further into the meaning of that and the deeper threat. That is part of what led to our nonprofit to help shift the country (https://www.shiftthecountry.com/). Appreciate the perspective on this.
Great piece, Eli. I particularly like the way you parse these important words/labels that are often bandied about a bit too freely (and imprecisely). I can think of a lot of other specific (and colorful) words for Trump, but I probably shouldn't write them here. Keep up the terrific work you're doing. I'm really enjoying these pieces.
I appreciate your thinking and writing and while I'm hopeful for the trajectory you're aiming for, I'm also a bit scared which redoubles my gratitude for your efforts. Reading this piece I noticed the similarity between the words demagogue and democracy, so searched for their etymology which I assumed would be related. I was not disappointed and think you might want to have a look. https://www.etymonline.com/word/democracy
In particular, note that the original and denotative meaning of demagogue discussed by Loren Samons in his 2004 "What's Wrong With Democracy" is quite opposite to our use of the word today, and consistent with democratic values. The way he puts it expresses the need for the many voices to be heard and integrated by "appropriate" leadership. The word itself, like the legitimate leadership it hopes to name, has been appropriated.
I appreciated your words and the substantive nature of your topic. I would need to know more about your intended audience to give more specific feedback.
100% with you, Angus. In fact a demagogue is such a person, but folks don't know that. They think demagogues are harmless loudmouths. This is one reason some political scientists call all those figures you mentioned "elected autocrats." I think we should stick with "demagogue," because if you ever want to do a search to learn about the problem we have today "demagogue" is the world to choose. History explodes with commentary, warnings, and advisories if you search that word.
I have also called Trump an authoritarian demagogue. That's the most accurate, perhaps.
But what really separated Trump from Nixon? Lack of charisma? Did Nixon stay close enough to the standard playback, with just enough morals and insufficient enablers ?
By my reading of what a demagogue is, Nixon was not a demagogue at all. He was famous for dirty tricks, and in Watergate he pushed it too far, got caught, and acted reasonably under pressure from the Republican Party and resigned. Under pressure, he was a much more reasonable politician. Also the GOP was healthier and more ethical back then. Trump has a big pathological narcissistic demagogic personality. It is a stunning phenomenon to behold! My view is that Nixon simply had a big ego and was slightly corrupt. Is this persuasive, or am I missing something important?
You are very right. Using the right term to identify something is extremely important. Without figuring out what something or someone truly is, you can never start to work on fixing it.
I feel that laws can act as amazing gatekeepers against demagogues. However, I have two questions about human gatekeepers. Who do you believe they are? Every day citizens, government officials, or something else? Also, if there are these gatekeepers, what can they truly do against a person who has the minds of millions swayed to believe them?
If any people in our world are “gatekeepers,” I would say that congresspeople are. This is because they have the ability to take these demagogues out of office. However, there are two problems to these gatekeepers. First, many of them are scared to take them out of office because of the power demagogues hold with millions of people. My belief is this could be solved with laws that force votes in Congress to be anonymous. Second, I don't think that taking a demagogue out of office truly takes away their power, since their power lies in the people who follow them. So my question is, is there any way for these gatekeepers to truly take away the power of demagogues, and if so, how?
Thank you. An impressive analysis for a young man! Every voter or political activist in a democracy has the opportunity to be a gatekeeper, but some gatekeepers have more power and responsibility than others. The most important gatekeepers are political party leaders, the media, and government officials. Click on the link below for an argument that the most important gatekeepers are political party leaders. It is my oped from last month in the Los Angeles Times. Party leaders who 1) understand how democracy works and 2) possess moral courage should remove demagogues from the presidential pipeline, preventing "the people" from even voting for them.
Citizens are also gatekeepers, but it is known that their passions and self-interest often get the best of them, leading them sometimes to vote for demagogues. That's the great danger.
"My belief is this could be solved with laws that force votes in Congress to be anonymous": Great idea. I would be all for it if we could pull it off.
Regarding your last questions, a demagogue out of office (like Trump) indeed remains dangerous, but there is no comparison between the "power" he or she possesses out of office and in office. For example, a president commands the military. Also, even most Trump supporters would rapidly lose interest in him if he were permanently excluded from politics. They would switch rapidly to Ron DeSantis of Florida, for example.
Thanks for this researched-based approach, Paul, and even more the attention to "leadership." Leaders are elected by the people and for the people, but that does not mean that they have to be blind puppets of the people, especially during times of crisis-induced or demagoguery-induced desperation and paranoia. My view is that today's crisis of democracy can be explained by a failure of ethical leadership. I think I explain it best in the below piece, in case you are interested in further short reading (-: Best, Eli
A day of ignominy in the U.S. Senate, one year later: Remembering Trump’s impeachment acquittal
https://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/ny-oped-day-ignominy-senate-20220213-6z2xoxzc4na4laed5vqbpnepoy-story.html
Yes, plenty of colorful words! Thanks for reading, Peter, and for your encouragement. Really, the truth is that I am using my doctor skills and trying to figure out the "diagnosis" and, with that in hand, the cure or future preventive strategy.
Thanks, Wendi. The audience is reform-minded citizens, political leaders, and lawmakers from either party. In particular, it is political parties that hold the greatest responsibility for preventing the rise of demagogues within their ranks.
Eli, I am not sure finding the “right” word for whatever Trump “is” will mean that much. Whatever the word, it’s what he has done and could do that chills. I find “gatekeepers” to be the key word to your ongoing project. Who are they in history? Our history? Any apt analogies to today? Do we, can we, have gatekeepers in an our here and now atomized world of “identity and its associated grievances” politics and press? Are gatekeepers anachronisms? What can we do, if needed, in lieu of functioning gatekeepers? What might be enough to stave off the demagogue’s return? Get to work! We need your passionate intelligence forging ahead.
Very compelling, Harrison. I do think the word "demagogue" is crucial because otherwise what are we going to "gatekeep"? One book describes the situation as "democracy begets tyranny through demagogues." I am a true believer in that theory. That said, I now have two "keywords" to communication. "Gatekeeper" and "Demagogue." Very nice. Thanks for pushing that.
What are alternatives to gatekeeping? Truly, I cannot think of one. It is the only solution. The singularity. The sine qua non. The barbarity of human nature must be contained by gatekeeping humans themselves and their tools, like constitutions. Unless you can think of an alternative? I would love to know one, or two.
William Harrison Hobart III... I will offer that it's helpful to dig into history and the nature of things so that we can understand structurally and systemically what's gone wrong or funky and find ways to counter that. It's not for everyone, though, for sure.
I also offer that our organization is a brand-new nonprofit set up to take some of the action you're talking about, if you're interested. I don't want to look like I'm spamming up this post, though, so I won't post links. But it may be of interest if you're looking for some tangible actions. We are super brand new though so we're just getting activities going, and will be announcing those this week. Good luck and be well. I hear you on the chills; and the danger Trump and now the whole movement poses. It's an unprecedented threat, and we need to do unprecedented things to counter it. - Vanessa
One more thing. Sharing a very short video because it captures most of what I want to say in less than two minutes. I bet you’ll agree with it.
https://youtu.be/eUtfCIK__mI
Critique offer by Chris Donohoe: I think you are definitely getting it right. Should you continue the demagogue thread in the future you might think about using very specific examples of Trump's language that identify him as a demagogue and comparing them to historical analogues and perhaps interjecting why this scares you and should scare all of us. This may not be approach you want to pursue but history in its specificity can be a great teacher.
Eli, I really appreciate your thinking, writing and putting together this resource. On the "Demagogue" piece, I don't disagree with anything you write there. Democracy requires constant renewal to keep strong, but that constant renewal creates ongoing openings for demagoguery to infect the system; thus the paradox. The higher the rate cell reproduction, the more opportunities for a mutation; and the Trump mutation seems to be metastasizing! Agree that precise terminology is important - but mostly as a tool to find solutions. How to combat demagoguery - certainly one key is to maintain the rule of law. But longer term, a more fundamental approach is needed: how to treat the underlying conditions that are making so many Americans vulnerable to the demagogue? I hope your essays will begin to engage with that difficult enterprise. Cheers cousin.
Very helpful, Andrew. This helps me to clarify that "precise terminology is important . . . mostly as a tool to find solutions." Regarding the underlying conditions, one important one is in fact the absence today of party gatekeepers. There are none, and in the past there were. Paradoxically enough, I'd say one of the critical underlying conditions is demagoguery. It brings out the beast in us. That, of course, and economic discontent and culture wars. LMK if you think of anything to add to this list. Stay well.
I think what is missing from the lexicon is a word that combines authoritarian with democratically elected. The threat is within the political system it is not some extra-constitutional power grab but the gradual chipping away at norms until we are left with nothing that resembles a standard democracy. Examples of this are Erdogan in Turkey, Orban in Hungary, Putin in Russia, Bolsonaro in Brazil, Duterte in the Philippines. There were no revolutions in these countries just the slow dismantling of safeguards and the stuffing of courts with cronies and loyalists to allow for largely unconstrained one man / one party rule.
I would also suggest "con man" and "grifter", particularly since 1/6/21.
Good post. The first time I heard "demagogue" used to describe Trump as a danger was about a week before the 2016 Iowa Caucuses. It was whispered by a high-up operative in the O'Malley campaign, with the full weight of the threat coming across in the moment; and clearly whispered out of fear that others in that same room were not ready yet to take the threat seriously. I had already been watching Trump more closely since the fall of 2015, as a friend in homeland security at the time had warned me of the support and excitement he was getting from the Boogaloo Boys and from other white supremacists and domestic violent extremists (DVEs). After hearing the whispered "demagogue" comment in February of 2016, I started digging further into the meaning of that and the deeper threat. That is part of what led to our nonprofit to help shift the country (https://www.shiftthecountry.com/). Appreciate the perspective on this.
Sharing a very short video because it captures most of what I want to say in less than two minutes. I bet you’ll agree with it Vanessa.
https://youtu.be/eUtfCIK__mI
Thank you. That IS an excellent video. I will keep it handy for reference.
Words that warm the heart and inspire the mind.
Great piece! The study of civics and the presence of "gatekeepers" in society are paramount in maintaining a fair and stable democracy!
You got it: civics teaching about demagogues and gatekeepers.
Sharing a very short video because it captures most of what I want to say in less than two minutes. I bet you’ll agree with it.
https://youtu.be/eUtfCIK__mI
Great piece, Eli. I particularly like the way you parse these important words/labels that are often bandied about a bit too freely (and imprecisely). I can think of a lot of other specific (and colorful) words for Trump, but I probably shouldn't write them here. Keep up the terrific work you're doing. I'm really enjoying these pieces.
I appreciate your thinking and writing and while I'm hopeful for the trajectory you're aiming for, I'm also a bit scared which redoubles my gratitude for your efforts. Reading this piece I noticed the similarity between the words demagogue and democracy, so searched for their etymology which I assumed would be related. I was not disappointed and think you might want to have a look. https://www.etymonline.com/word/democracy
and
https://www.etymonline.com/word/demagogue?ref=etymonline_crossreference#etymonline_v_5553
In particular, note that the original and denotative meaning of demagogue discussed by Loren Samons in his 2004 "What's Wrong With Democracy" is quite opposite to our use of the word today, and consistent with democratic values. The way he puts it expresses the need for the many voices to be heard and integrated by "appropriate" leadership. The word itself, like the legitimate leadership it hopes to name, has been appropriated.
Sharing a very short video because it captures most of what I want to say in less than two minutes. I bet you’ll agree with it Paul.
https://youtu.be/eUtfCIK__mI
I appreciated your words and the substantive nature of your topic. I would need to know more about your intended audience to give more specific feedback.
100% with you, Angus. In fact a demagogue is such a person, but folks don't know that. They think demagogues are harmless loudmouths. This is one reason some political scientists call all those figures you mentioned "elected autocrats." I think we should stick with "demagogue," because if you ever want to do a search to learn about the problem we have today "demagogue" is the world to choose. History explodes with commentary, warnings, and advisories if you search that word.
I have also called Trump an authoritarian demagogue. That's the most accurate, perhaps.
LOL. Someone said to me the other that "A-hole" is definitely the single best word . . .
But what really separated Trump from Nixon? Lack of charisma? Did Nixon stay close enough to the standard playback, with just enough morals and insufficient enablers ?
By my reading of what a demagogue is, Nixon was not a demagogue at all. He was famous for dirty tricks, and in Watergate he pushed it too far, got caught, and acted reasonably under pressure from the Republican Party and resigned. Under pressure, he was a much more reasonable politician. Also the GOP was healthier and more ethical back then. Trump has a big pathological narcissistic demagogic personality. It is a stunning phenomenon to behold! My view is that Nixon simply had a big ego and was slightly corrupt. Is this persuasive, or am I missing something important?
Yeah, the narcissism is a key difference.
Great piece of writing!
You are very right. Using the right term to identify something is extremely important. Without figuring out what something or someone truly is, you can never start to work on fixing it.
I feel that laws can act as amazing gatekeepers against demagogues. However, I have two questions about human gatekeepers. Who do you believe they are? Every day citizens, government officials, or something else? Also, if there are these gatekeepers, what can they truly do against a person who has the minds of millions swayed to believe them?
If any people in our world are “gatekeepers,” I would say that congresspeople are. This is because they have the ability to take these demagogues out of office. However, there are two problems to these gatekeepers. First, many of them are scared to take them out of office because of the power demagogues hold with millions of people. My belief is this could be solved with laws that force votes in Congress to be anonymous. Second, I don't think that taking a demagogue out of office truly takes away their power, since their power lies in the people who follow them. So my question is, is there any way for these gatekeepers to truly take away the power of demagogues, and if so, how?
Again, AMAZING article!
Thank you. An impressive analysis for a young man! Every voter or political activist in a democracy has the opportunity to be a gatekeeper, but some gatekeepers have more power and responsibility than others. The most important gatekeepers are political party leaders, the media, and government officials. Click on the link below for an argument that the most important gatekeepers are political party leaders. It is my oped from last month in the Los Angeles Times. Party leaders who 1) understand how democracy works and 2) possess moral courage should remove demagogues from the presidential pipeline, preventing "the people" from even voting for them.
https://elimerritt.substack.com/p/op-ed-in-todays-los-angeles-times?r=ezn4d&s=w&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Citizens are also gatekeepers, but it is known that their passions and self-interest often get the best of them, leading them sometimes to vote for demagogues. That's the great danger.
"My belief is this could be solved with laws that force votes in Congress to be anonymous": Great idea. I would be all for it if we could pull it off.
Regarding your last questions, a demagogue out of office (like Trump) indeed remains dangerous, but there is no comparison between the "power" he or she possesses out of office and in office. For example, a president commands the military. Also, even most Trump supporters would rapidly lose interest in him if he were permanently excluded from politics. They would switch rapidly to Ron DeSantis of Florida, for example.