Bob Schwartz

1. Citizens believe in life going on, especially when the authoritarian actions don’t affect them directly.

2. Citizens believe that diversions and distractions are harmless. Rome used a “bread and circuses” strategy to distract from political issues, and the strategy has never gone out of style.

3. Citizens believe that the normal cyclical ups and downs will moderate things, or at least someone or something will come along to restore balance and normality.

4. Citizens believe that even the worst things happen slowly, so there will be time to make corrections.

According to history, all of those beliefs are lies. Life stops going on when the authorities come for you or those you care about. Distractions are harmful if they divert attention and action from current misfeasance. Ups and downs don’t always balance out extremes, and someone or something may not be coming along to restore balance and normality. What seems a slow roll can accelerate, becoming a disaster before there is time left to effectively react.

What seems a slow roll into authoritarianism can accelerate, becoming a disaster before there is time left to effectively react. That’s what history teaches.