At 250, Thomas Paine's "Common Sense" still matters

[rampartd]

1. right wing ideology : authoritarian vs totalitarian

here is the wikipedia on a snippet of conservative doctrine espoused by reagan's u n ambassador .....

Jeane Kirkpatrick's Authoritarian vs. Totalitarian Distinction
Jeane Kirkpatrick's distinction between authoritarian and totalitarian regimes was a cornerstone of her foreign policy doctrine. She argued that authoritarian regimes are traditional forms of political power, characterized by fealty to a ruler and maintaining preexistent inequalities, while totalitarian regimes are modern phenomena linked to the effort to remake society according to a utopian plan, attacking social relations and attempting to remake society. Kirkpatrick believed that authoritarian regimes can make modest reforms, whereas totalitarians, such as the Soviets and Cubans, cannot reform themselves and should be the targets of American policy. Her doctrine was particularly influential during the Reagan administration, which supported anti-communist dictatorships and military actions against Soviet-backed insurgencies.

carter had determined, correctly i believe, that we should not be propping up shahs or banana el supremos. reagan had "common sense" ideas like this one : "authoritarians are ok but those commies...."


"fascist" and "nazi" are more chimeric concepts . no two fascisms are exactly alike. fitting each 21st cent regime into the 14 points of umberto eco or hanna arendt might never be a perfect fit. franco or even salazar might be more representative of maga than hitler or mussilini.

is maga "authoritarian," or have they crossed the line into selective breeding or mind control?,

edit. i got carried away there. this probably should be an op.