Scholars on the left increasingly favor China-style authoritarianism over democracy

Evidence

Repulsed by the social degradation and climate chaos produced by nearly four decades of neoliberal policy and practice, an important and varied group of scholars and activists argues that the era of capitalism is at end. Some propose more-humane economic alternatives, some anticipate protracted decline, and others, repelled by social complexity, favor a blend of elite power and authoritarian politics in closer emulation of China’s authoritarian system. — Shoshana Zuboff, The Age of Surveillance Capitalism, 1640

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to the democratic-deconsolidation literature this reader has encountered in political theory. — connects to: Authoritarianism can manifest on the political left as well as right — Leonard S. Newman and Ralph Erber (eds.), Understanding Genocide: The Social…, 446; Left and right authoritarians share one underlying personality structure — Bob Altemeyer, The Authoritarian Specter, 2850; A new Left intellectual type combined Third World rhetoric with anti-communism — Aijaz Ahmad, In Theory: Nations, Classes, Literatures, 356 (+6 more)
• SHARE: Worth sending to anyone tracking the academic romance with Chinese authoritarianism among Western intellectuals.

Broader Connections

• Authoritarianism can manifest on the political left as well as right #expands (0.95) — Leonard S. Newman and Ralph Erber (eds.), Understanding Genocide, 446
• Authoritarians of opposing ideologies unite against democracy. #corroborates (0.85) — Bob Altemeyer, The Authoritarian Specter, 4283
• Left and right authoritarians share one underlying personality structure #expands (0.80) — Bob Altemeyer, The Authoritarian Specter, 2850
• Dominant authoritarians migrating through leftist movements skew revolutions toward dictatorship #expands (0.80)
• A new Left intellectual type combined Third World rhetoric with anti-communism #exemplifies (0.75) — Aijaz Ahmad, In Theory, 356
• Left-wing authoritarianism is nearly nonexistent in contemporary samples #contradicts (0.75) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 1003
• Ethnocentric and anti-democratic attitudes sometimes coexisted with left-leaning political views #corroborates (0.75) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 495
• Supposed left-wing authoritarians in past movements were probably right-wing wild cards #qualifies (0.70)
• Militia beliefs correlate most strongly with left-wing authoritarianism #qualifies (0.70) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 1000