Authoritarianism and How to Counter It

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, it was assumed that liberal democracies would flourish worldwide. Instead, today authoritarian leaders are gaining power – from Trump’s US and Bolsonaro's Brazil to Orban's Hungary – while Russia and China have turn

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Authoritarianism and How to Counter It

Bill Jordan

Authoritarianism and How to Counter It

Bill Jordan Honorary Professor of Social Policy and Social Work University of Plymouth Plymouth, UK

ISBN 978-3-030-17210-7    ISBN 978-3-030-17211-4 (eBook) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-17211-4 © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Cover illustration: Pattern © John Rawsterne/patternhead.com This Palgrave Pivot imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature Switzerland AG The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland

To the memory of Jean Packman, colleague, partner and inspiration.

Acknowledgements

My thanks, for helpful discussions and suggestions, to Sarah Jordan, Mervyn Murch, Linda and Colin Janus-Harris and John Ingham. I am also grateful, for their assistance in the preparation and editing of the text, to Anne-Kathrin Birchley-Brun and Ambra Finotello.

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Contents

1 Introduction   1 2 The New Authoritarianism  21 3 A Coercive State  39 4 Mobility and Migration  51 5 Authoritarianism and Militarism  63 6 Inclusion and Democracy  71 7 Credit and Debt  85 8 Towards Greater Sustainability  97 9 Freedom and Justice for All

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CONTENTS

10 Conclusions

121

References

129

Index137

Chapter 1

Introduction

Abstract  Political philosophers since Machiavelli and Hobbes have tried to refute their suggestion that authoritarianism is the default setting for modern polities. In their very different ways, Montesquieu, Jefferson, Adam Smith, Bentham, J.S. Mill, Karl Marx, J.M. Keynes and Beveridge, along with a succession of Continental political philosophers, all sought to show how freedom and democracy could establish themse