Religion & Authoritarianism: An Unholy Alliance

Historically, authoritarians co-opt religion, professing belief in gods they don’t believe in and a love of religion they never demonstrate. Is “Spiritual Questing” the antidote?

Donald Trump in Front of St. John’s Church, Washington, D.C., 2020 ~ The White House from Washington, DC, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Perilously Close

How vulnerable is the United States to authoritarianism? Given the revelations of the January 6th investigative committee and recent decisions by the Supreme Court?

It may depend on the nation’s degree of “religiousness.”

A Cautionary Tale: a Former Atheist and His Religion

A stark, historic example is from the “father” of modern fascism, Italy’s Benito Mussolini. His is the classic story of a despot who rose to power on brute authoritarian force.

Mussolini Official Portrait (Original uploader Vituzzu at Italian Wikipedia., Public domain, Wikimedia Commons)

But few may realize what role religion played in his strategy. He had been an unabashed anti-cleric, anti-Catholic atheist. But it became clear to him that in order to ascend politically he had to do so within the existing social order.