patrick.net

"favoring or enforcing strict obedience to authority, especially that of the government, at the expense of personal freedom."

Sounds like you've got a warped sense of Authoritarian if you or anyone believes that describes Trump and his supporters.
This is Why there is Trump. Not because there's not enough, not by any stretch of the imagination.

MMR says

exactly, limousine liberal types who try to decide what is good for everyone else.

Actually that is not authoritarian as measured in this study. It's more about conformity.

Clearly authoritarianism has a bad connotation on pat.net. I don't think it was intended as a negative--just a personality trait. Like being outgoing or being a free spirit.

Tenpoundbass says

"favoring or enforcing strict obedience to authority, especially that of the government, at the expense of personal freedom."

Sounds like you've got a warped sense of Authoritarian if you or anyone believes that describes Trump and his supporters.

This is Why there is Trump. Not because there's not enough, not by any stretch of the imagination.

"Authoritarians obey. They rally to and follow strong leaders. And they respond aggressively to outsiders, especially when they feel threatened"

I think that does likely describe a lot of Trumps supporters.

errc says

But if IHLary is the candidate

She will almost certainly be the candidate and if that is the case, will almost certainly win. Bernie Sanders and Trump are merely weathervanes to see which way the political winds blow.

When ross perot won 19% of the popular vote, best believe that clinton made it a priority to balance the budget.

From Daily Kos, 2008: Hillary's Authoritarianism Problem

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/5/5/509204/-

Non-Authoritarians pick Obama as the nominee!

Daily Kos, 2008:

Authoritarians are biased against Obama!

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/5/4/508775/-

thunderlips11 says

Non-Authoritarians pick Obama as the nominee!

Yep--the authors mention that in the article I posted.

tatupu70 says

"Authoritarians obey. They rally to and follow strong leaders. And they respond aggressively to outsiders, especially when they feel threatened"

I think that does likely describe a lot of Trumps supporters.

Yup, the same group that was allegedly offended when Barack said that police officer was "acting stupidly" in that professor case that resulted in beer summit had no problems when trump referred to a whole group of people as "rapists, murderers and some I assume are good people." Unbelievable!

tatupu70 says

Yep--the authors mention that in the article I posted.

"The people who are for the candidate I despise, and against the candidate I support, are Authoritarians'

tatupu70 says

Authoritarians obey.

This is different, Trump supporters just want illegals to obey laws that already exist, quit Libbing the facts, Trump is a done deal. No matter how you romanticise, criticize, anaylize, skew it or even Stew over it.
My advice is don't watch South Park on super Tuesday, it will just add to the sting... Trust ME!

thunderlips11 says

"The people who are for the candidate I despise, and against the candidate I support, are Authoritarians'

Why are you so offended? Do you think conformity is a bad trait?

Tenpoundbass says

This is different, Trump supporters just want illegals to obey laws that already exist, quit Libbing the facts, Trump is a done deal. No matter how you romanticise, criticize, anaylize, skew it or even Stew over it.

My advice is don't watch South Park on super Tuesday, it will just add to the sting... Trust ME!

Nothing would make me happier than seeing Trump win the Republican nomination.

tatupu70 says

Why are you so offended? Do you think conformity is a bad trait?

Not at all, it's just PR Baloney. Social Science in the service of Politics.

I believe in moderation in most things, like Aristotle. You know, don't stiff your needy friends and family, but don't be so generous you put yourself and/or family at risk of poverty.

I said President.

You forget the media and politcs has forgotten how to be transparent.

The Bernie or Hillary Pandering from the media and the establishment is going to be a huge turn off on the November push.

Tenpoundbass says

I said President.

Uh--no you didn't. You mentioned Super Tuesday which is a primary day, not general election.

thunderlips11 says

Not at all, it's just PR Baloney. Social Science in the service of Politics.

It was actually a positive piece for Trump explaining why he will have crossover appeal to Independents and liberals. And theorizing that, contrary to popular belief, his numbers may still have room to rise in the general election.

tatupu70 says

Uh--no you didn't. You mentioned Super Tuesday which is a primary day, not general election.

He's going to win Fat Tuesday too Brudah!

tatupu70 says

What the hell? The story doesn't say liberals aren't authoritarian. Did you even read it??

The author does not describe the percentage of Democrats who are authoritarian. He indicates other work has shown a migration to Republicans, but that is poorly described. So I can fill in my own observation that Democrats are as authoritarian as Repubs, and I also find his methodology to be a bit strange, and also it down not take into account other variables that are in play. Silly sociology, poorly contrived design, and reaching no real conclusion outside of the ridiculous constraints of the study. Pseudo science the "findings" of which suit the needs of haters.

Blurtman says

The author does not describe the percentage of Democrats who are authoritarian. He indicates other work has shown a migration to Republicans, but that is poorly described. So I can fill in my own observation that Democrats are as authoritarian as Repubs, and I also find his methodology to be a bit strange, and also it down not take into account other variables that are in play. Silly sociology, poorly contrived design, and reaching no real conclusion outside of the ridiculous constraints of the study. Pseudo science the "findings" of which suit the needs of haters.

Except that's not what you did. You implied that the author's finding was that liberals weren't authoritarian. Which is the opposite of what the article stated--pretty clearly actually.

You are free to find his methodology strange but you must acknowledge that his methodology found a statistically significant result. I think you are trying to apply the results to characteristics outside the study--not the author. You obviously have a pre-determined view of what authoritarianism means and it is probably different than what the authors are measuring.

And what "haters"? Neither the authors nor I are implying that valuing conformity is bad.

tatupu70 says

is it better to conform or to be independent.

It's a false dichotomy. Especially in a liberal democracy you can be independent and conformist.
We could return this: relative to the establishment, I guess Trump supporters refuse to conform, are more independent, more willing to change the system, more willing to create chaos.

Doesn't sound like people who respect (the establishment's) authority.

Heraclitusstudent says

It's a false dichotomy. Especially in a liberal democracy you can be independent and conformist.

We could return this: relative to the establishment, I guess Trump supporters refuse to conform, are more independent, more willing to change the system, more willing to create chaos.

Doesn't sound like people who respect (the establishment's) authority.

In a capitalist society, following/supporting the oligarch is a sign of conformity just like in a communist society being a follower of stalin/fidel is a sign of conformity. It is all relative to the overarching system.

Heraclitusstudent says

It's a false dichotomy. Especially in a liberal democracy you can be independent and conformist.

We could return this: relative to the establishment, I guess Trump supporters refuse to conform, are more independent, more willing to change the system, more willing to create chaos.

Doesn't sound like people who respect (the establishment's) authority.

I disagree that it's a false dichotomy. I guess it depends on your definition of conform and independent, but they are pretty clearly opposing views.

And the Republican establishment isn't the leader by any means. I think it's very rare for authoritarians to want to follow a vague group. They want a strong leader. All strong leaders change the system. It's not about holding back change.

tatupu70 says

I disagree that it's a false dichotomy. I guess it depends on your definition of conform and independent, but they are pretty clearly opposing views.

Would you at least agree you can conform to different things and independence is therefore relative.

tatupu70 says

I think it's very rare for authoritarians to want to follow a vague group. They want a strong leader.

Maybe that's the difference between authoritarians and conformists.
Authoritarians want an assertive leader and want all people to follow the leader.
Conformists are just more like sheep, following the crowd. They are generally herded rather than led. They are obedient to the "system" and so the establishment. Often, they don't realize or don't think of themselves as conformists - but they are. I would say many liberals are strongly conformist.

The establishment is counting on conformism.
Trump, more on authority. But as long as his claim on authority is just "I'm rich", his success with liberals/independents will be limited.

The linked article says, "Only two of the variables I looked at were statistically significant: authoritarianism, followed by fear of terrorism, though the former was far more significant than the latter." It does not say all Trump supporters share one trait.

Also, we live in an era dominated by partisan/sectarian authoritarian paradigms. Voters have a "choice":
1) religious charlatans demanding more power for themselves on behalf of their imaginary friend (Allah, Jehovah, whatever);
2) corporate spokesmen demanding more power for themselves on behalf of their sponsors (Obamneycare, Booz Allen Hamilton, whatever);
3) a guy who speaks for himself, and says he'll keep out the most lethal terrorists.
In that light, the appeal of perceived anti-establishment insurgents Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump makes more sense. As between Putin's candidate (Trump) and the Saudi sponsored candidates (almost everyone else), Putin's Russia seems somewhat less authoritarian than Saudi Arabia.

Remember folks, the MSM-Establishment Square Dance:

"Grab Your Partner, Think like this,
Don't vote for the Radical,
Life is Bliss!

Now go for Immigrants, Deregulate
Vote for so-and-so,
Or you're an ingrate!"

(Fun fact: least favorite but official part of the NYC School Curriculum in the 80s. "Teacher, why can't we put on Whodini and breakdance?")

Trump's GOT DIS!