Authoritarianism: A System Where Everybody Loses

Authoritarianism, America's biggest self own

You know what’s funny? Authoritarians think they’re winning. They think that by tightening their grip, silencing dissent, and hoarding power, they’re securing their place on top of the world. But the joke’s on them, because in the long run, nobody actually wins in an authoritarian system. Not the people crushed under its boot, not the cronies sucking up to stay in favor, and not even the dictators themselves.

Let’s break it down. First, the most obvious losers: the people. It doesn’t matter what flavor of authoritarianism you’re dealing with, whether it’s hard-right theocracy, hard-left police state, military junta, or some billionaire-backed corporate dystopia, regular people always get the short end of the stick. Freedoms? Gone. Economic mobility? Forget about it. Basic safety? Only if you stay in line and don’t step on the wrong toes.

But it’s not just the peasants (that’s what authoritarians call their citizens behind closed doors, by the way) who suffer. Even the so-called elites, the bootlickers, the enablers who help keep the machine running, yup, they lose, too. Why? Because in an authoritarian system, loyalty is a currency that devalues overnight. One day, you’re sitting pretty, reaping the rewards of your corruption; the next, you’re out of favor, exiled, imprisoned, or mysteriously “disappeared.” The closer you are to power, the more dangerous it gets. Nobody trusts anybody, and everyone’s just a purge away from ruin.

And then there’s the dictator or ruling class itself. They might seem invincible, but authoritarian rule is like playing Jenga on a rickety table. The more you stack on top, more repression, more paranoia, more desperate attempts to control, the shakier the whole thing gets. Sooner or later, it collapses. And history doesn’t remember these tyrants kindly. If they’re lucky, they get an exile in a cushy villa somewhere. If they’re not, well… let’s just say it never ends well.

The kicker? Authoritarians don’t even get to enjoy their own rule. They spend their days in a constant state of fear of being overthrown, of being assassinated, of losing control for even a second. They turn on their own allies, isolate themselves from reality, and eventually become prisoners of their own paranoia. They claim to rule with strength, but their grip is so fragile that a single spark can send it all up in flames.

So, in the grand tally of authoritarian rule, what do we get? No winners. Just suffering, destruction, and a slow collapse into the abyss. The people lose. The enforcers lose. Even the dictator loses.

That’s the thing about authoritarianism, it’s the ultimate self-own. So why do we keep seeing people flirt with it like it’s some kind of genius power move? The only way to win this game is to refuse to play. 🐴

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