The issue with "authoritarian" as a label is not that it's wrong per say but that it's a vacous meaningless label that adds nothing to any analysis of value and only serves a single real purpose of fear mongering.
Authoritarian just means that someone is in charge. Perhaps you’re arguing that your definition has changed through overuse (or use by the wrong people) similarly to how ‘’progressive’’ or ’’liberal’’ are now loaded terms?
What I'm saying is that authoritarian (much like regime) holds a negative stigma while adding nothing of value. Just like how regime is just a stand in for government from "designated bad country™" authoritarian just means there is a state (which is guaranteed in class society). Both while not being technically incorrect labels add nothing of value outside of their stigma, used by those who subscribe to the hegemonic ideology (liberalism in modern times) to signal their allegiance.
6 Comments
KimBongUn420@lemmy.ml · 5 pts · 94d
Obligatory read: https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1872/10/authority.htm
ultimate_worrier@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 2 pts · 94d
QinShiHuangsShlong@lemmy.ml · 4 pts · 94d
The issue with "authoritarian" as a label is not that it's wrong per say but that it's a vacous meaningless label that adds nothing to any analysis of value and only serves a single real purpose of fear mongering.
ultimate_worrier@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 2 pts · 94d
Authoritarian just means that someone is in charge. Perhaps you’re arguing that your definition has changed through overuse (or use by the wrong people) similarly to how ‘’progressive’’ or ’’liberal’’ are now loaded terms?
QinShiHuangsShlong@lemmy.ml · 6 pts · 94d
What I'm saying is that authoritarian (much like regime) holds a negative stigma while adding nothing of value. Just like how regime is just a stand in for government from "designated bad country™" authoritarian just means there is a state (which is guaranteed in class society). Both while not being technically incorrect labels add nothing of value outside of their stigma, used by those who subscribe to the hegemonic ideology (liberalism in modern times) to signal their allegiance.
ultimate_worrier@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 0 pts · 94d
QinShiHuangsShlong@lemmy.ml · 6 pts · 94d
Perhaps but that's it's use there's a reason it's the Iranian regime, Chinese regime etc but always German government, American government etc.
K1nsey6@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 93d
What Americans call authoritarian is calling out the bullshit of imperialists and silencing them.