Authoritatian countries are stable. Democracies are stable. The phase change in between that is anocracy isn't stable. We're currently an anocracy and it's extremely dangerous for everyone. Take care to prepare for mass civil unrest and escalating violence.
March 18, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Authoritatian countries are stable. Democracies are stable. The phase change in between that is anocracy isn't stable. We're currently an anocracy and it's extremely dangerous for everyone. Take care to prepare for mass civil unrest and escalating violence.
politics never not stops, not in a democracy, not in an anocracy, not even in an autocracy!
July 30, 2025 at 2:24 AM
politics never not stops, not in a democracy, not in an anocracy, not even in an autocracy!
welcome back american anocracy
We live in a hybrid regime like Turkey or Russia.
ICE just arrested Brad Lander, the NYC Comptroller and one of the leading candidates for Mayor, without grounds.
He was conducting routine immigration court work, escorting individuals from hearings.
He asked ICE for their warrant - well within his legal rights.
This is political intimidation.
He was conducting routine immigration court work, escorting individuals from hearings.
He asked ICE for their warrant - well within his legal rights.
This is political intimidation.
June 17, 2025 at 5:13 PM
welcome back american anocracy
American anocracy
The good news remains that democracy/autocracy is not a simple binary and sliding into the second does not make it impossible to restore the former
The bad news remains that a perennially broken, less tolerant and impoverished democracy is also very much on the table here
The bad news remains that a perennially broken, less tolerant and impoverished democracy is also very much on the table here
February 26, 2025 at 3:14 PM
American anocracy
honestly arresting biden would probably be the thing that gets american allies to fundamentally realize that america's an anocracy now
Trump calls for a special prosecutor to investigate “massive and overwhelming” evidence of fraud in the 2020 election.
There is no such evidence as has been borne out by dozens of investigations at the state and federal level.
There is no such evidence as has been borne out by dozens of investigations at the state and federal level.
June 20, 2025 at 1:39 PM
honestly arresting biden would probably be the thing that gets american allies to fundamentally realize that america's an anocracy now
it is fundamentally absurd to say that the United States is now an anocracy but was not an anocracy when half the country did not have meaningful elections
danieldrezner.substack.com/p/is-the-uni...
danieldrezner.substack.com/p/is-the-uni...
Is the United States Still a Liberal Democracy?
I'm afraid the question must be asked.
danieldrezner.substack.com
June 28, 2025 at 1:34 AM
it is fundamentally absurd to say that the United States is now an anocracy but was not an anocracy when half the country did not have meaningful elections
danieldrezner.substack.com/p/is-the-uni...
danieldrezner.substack.com/p/is-the-uni...
(yes, i'm considering jim crow america an anocracy)
June 17, 2025 at 5:14 PM
(yes, i'm considering jim crow america an anocracy)
Anocracy fucking sucks.
An embarrassingly obvious point, but...
This. Is. Illegal.
If anything like the rule of law were in force, Trump couldn't arbitrarily increase a tariff because he is annoyed.
In important and increasing ways, the rule of law in the US no longer exists.
www.cnn.com/2025/10/25/b...
This. Is. Illegal.
If anything like the rule of law were in force, Trump couldn't arbitrarily increase a tariff because he is annoyed.
In important and increasing ways, the rule of law in the US no longer exists.
www.cnn.com/2025/10/25/b...
Trump says he’s increasing tariffs on Canada by 10% after Ontario’s Reagan ad | CNN Business
President Donald Trump said Saturday he is increasing the tariff on Canada by 10% over current levels, further escalating trade tensions over what he called a “fake” ad that featured parts of an anti-...
www.cnn.com
October 25, 2025 at 9:43 PM
Anocracy fucking sucks.
You, an intellectual: “anocracy” refers to hybrid regimes that are neither fully democratic nor fully authoritarian
Me, a passable Spanish speaker: it’s rule by assholes
Me, a passable Spanish speaker: it’s rule by assholes
September 25, 2025 at 1:30 PM
You, an intellectual: “anocracy” refers to hybrid regimes that are neither fully democratic nor fully authoritarian
Me, a passable Spanish speaker: it’s rule by assholes
Me, a passable Spanish speaker: it’s rule by assholes
i do not think they will succeed at creating a sustainable regime
that being said, years of American anocracy are probably on the table
that being said, years of American anocracy are probably on the table
so, yes, it's possible they get away with it and they rule over us all for the rest of all of our lives. but there's no one now who can make a credible case for how that's going to happen, because there are doing none of the things that have built successful autocracies of the past.
March 1, 2025 at 2:26 AM
i do not think they will succeed at creating a sustainable regime
that being said, years of American anocracy are probably on the table
that being said, years of American anocracy are probably on the table
i wish there was a depiction of authoritarianism/anocracy that just had america like big modern day turkey
or like those shitty depictions of authoritarians on television (thinking of "handmaiden's tale"), where all of a sudden, in one cataclysmic day everyone has to conform to the ruler or face prison or death
June 29, 2025 at 1:59 AM
i wish there was a depiction of authoritarianism/anocracy that just had america like big modern day turkey
like, we genuinely don't know what happens when america is an backsliding democracy-turned-anocracy, but also wealthy as hell, but also filled with guns, and elites are mostly alienated against Trump
May 6, 2025 at 1:16 AM
like, we genuinely don't know what happens when america is an backsliding democracy-turned-anocracy, but also wealthy as hell, but also filled with guns, and elites are mostly alienated against Trump
As Donald Trump prepares for a second term as president, his rhetoric has grown increasingly authoritarian. However, he may settle into more of an anocracy | Mike Phillips
The US under Donald Trump: an autocracy or anocracy?
As Donald Trump prepares for a second term as president, his rhetoric has grown increasingly authoritarian. However, he may settle into more of an anocracy
kentandsurreybylines.co.uk
November 27, 2024 at 7:00 PM
As Donald Trump prepares for a second term as president, his rhetoric has grown increasingly authoritarian. However, he may settle into more of an anocracy | Mike Phillips
Every advanced democratic nation period.
The U.S. is a mid-tier anocracy.
The U.S. is a mid-tier anocracy.
May 11, 2026 at 6:18 PM
Every advanced democratic nation period.
The U.S. is a mid-tier anocracy.
The U.S. is a mid-tier anocracy.
The US features democratic backsliding, as elected officials dismantle checks & balances and rule of law from within. It’s a process. 21st century versions seen in Turkey, Hungary, India, Venezuela, and more.
Political science now classifies the US as a mixed regime / anocracy / partial democracy.
Political science now classifies the US as a mixed regime / anocracy / partial democracy.
July 19, 2025 at 2:09 PM
The US features democratic backsliding, as elected officials dismantle checks & balances and rule of law from within. It’s a process. 21st century versions seen in Turkey, Hungary, India, Venezuela, and more.
Political science now classifies the US as a mixed regime / anocracy / partial democracy.
Political science now classifies the US as a mixed regime / anocracy / partial democracy.
While US institutions are severely degraded, they're not completely gone. We're in a very precarious moment but Trump does not have the popular mandate to consolidate power in an autocratic attempt. This means even more instability as an anocracy with greater likelihood of political violence.
April 27, 2025 at 5:34 PM
While US institutions are severely degraded, they're not completely gone. We're in a very precarious moment but Trump does not have the popular mandate to consolidate power in an autocratic attempt. This means even more instability as an anocracy with greater likelihood of political violence.
No president should be able, unilaterally, to nullify the Constitution or any part of it by fiat. We are living in an anocracy: a government that blends a traditional, constitutional democracy with an upstart, newfangled dictatorship. And the latter is crowding out the former. Down with fascism!
July 11, 2025 at 2:54 PM
No president should be able, unilaterally, to nullify the Constitution or any part of it by fiat. We are living in an anocracy: a government that blends a traditional, constitutional democracy with an upstart, newfangled dictatorship. And the latter is crowding out the former. Down with fascism!
We've moved from anocracy to electoral autocracy- it's a race to the mid-terms!
May 18, 2026 at 5:58 PM
We've moved from anocracy to electoral autocracy- it's a race to the mid-terms!
i hold that both of these are true (post-Redeemer America was an anocracy)
it is fundamentally absurd to say that the United States is now an anocracy but was not an anocracy when half the country did not have meaningful elections
danieldrezner.substack.com/p/is-the-uni...
danieldrezner.substack.com/p/is-the-uni...
Is the United States Still a Liberal Democracy?
I'm afraid the question must be asked.
danieldrezner.substack.com
June 28, 2025 at 2:35 AM
i hold that both of these are true (post-Redeemer America was an anocracy)
It’s an anocracy. Trump hasn’t consolidated authoritarian control. If he did, he’d be able to carry out his desire to crush all mass protest with overwhelming force. There wouldn’t be No Kings protests all over the county, with little difficulty.
But his aims are clear and the rule of law, broken.
But his aims are clear and the rule of law, broken.
A chief executive publicly cheering for the firing of a critical media personality is a common feature of authoritarian states.
I hate to break it to everyone, especially since it’s been evident for a couple of months, but…
America is an authoritarian state.
I hate to break it to everyone, especially since it’s been evident for a couple of months, but…
America is an authoritarian state.
'I love that Colbert got fired:' Trump cheers show cancellation amid CBS 'bribe'
July 18, 2025 at 4:21 PM
It’s an anocracy. Trump hasn’t consolidated authoritarian control. If he did, he’d be able to carry out his desire to crush all mass protest with overwhelming force. There wouldn’t be No Kings protests all over the county, with little difficulty.
But his aims are clear and the rule of law, broken.
But his aims are clear and the rule of law, broken.
the greatest predictor of civil war, as barbara walters's work on civil war illustrates, is a state heading towards anocracy
now chat, which state in the world is heading in that direction (hint: it's not the UK)
now chat, which state in the world is heading in that direction (hint: it's not the UK)
The UK civil war stuff is so funny to me because it is so clearly wishcasting. None of the factors that make civil war at least theoretically possible in the U.S. right now prevail in Britain. Even polarization is different.
October 31, 2025 at 2:01 AM
the greatest predictor of civil war, as barbara walters's work on civil war illustrates, is a state heading towards anocracy
now chat, which state in the world is heading in that direction (hint: it's not the UK)
now chat, which state in the world is heading in that direction (hint: it's not the UK)
I know that this may sound like fantasies or nightmares of the left to you, but if you think that the Supreme Court blessing American anocracy is not going to have a cost, you are sorely mistaken
June 28, 2025 at 1:13 AM
I know that this may sound like fantasies or nightmares of the left to you, but if you think that the Supreme Court blessing American anocracy is not going to have a cost, you are sorely mistaken
yeah i think my biggest fear right now is not really a consolidated Trump anocracy but rather what happens post-2026/2028 if the war goes to shit and the New Right decide they could have established a regime if only they didn't have to care about MENA
He also manages, in his resignation letter, to blame the Iraq War and US intervention in Syria on “Israel and its powerful American lobby.”
The cognitive dissonance in the isolationist wing of MAGA between loving Trump and hating this war is going to be resolved with a lot of antisemitism.
The cognitive dissonance in the isolationist wing of MAGA between loving Trump and hating this war is going to be resolved with a lot of antisemitism.
BREAKING: Joe Kent resigns as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, says he can’t support the war against Iran.
“Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”
“Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”
March 17, 2026 at 2:26 PM
yeah i think my biggest fear right now is not really a consolidated Trump anocracy but rather what happens post-2026/2028 if the war goes to shit and the New Right decide they could have established a regime if only they didn't have to care about MENA