Jonathan Rauch argues that Trump’s presidency is “not classic authoritarianism—nor is it autocracy, oligarchy, or monarchy. Trump is installing what scholars call patrimonialism.”
Patrimonialism is less a form of government than a style of governing. It is not defined by institutions or rules; rather, it can infect all forms of government by replacing impersonal, formal lines of authority with personalized, informal ones.
Based on individual loyalty and connections, and on rewarding friends and punishing enemies (real or perceived), it can be found not just in states but also among tribes, street gangs, and criminal organizations.
Rauch, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and contributor to The Atlantic joined me for a conversation that we recorded yesterday — just as news broke about the shooting of Charlie Kirk. [Which I address in this post.] We touch on the rise of political violence, the collapse of civic norms, and the spread of postmodern thinking on the right. Rauch explains how truth is being replaced by narrative, why patrimonialism defines Donald Trump’s style of governance, and how religion’s bargain with politics has left democracy weaker.
We also look ahead to whether Democrats can seize on a prosperity message to counter Republican overreach.
Subscribers can listen to an ad-free version right here… or you can watch on YouTube / Listen (and subscribe) on Apple/ Spotify / iHeart / RSS Feed.
The Rough Beast Slouches Closer
I’m sitting at my desk this morning with a mixture of anger, grief, fear, frustration, and, if I’m honest, disgust.
Some highlights of our conversation:
“Truth doesn’t matter. Only power.”
“If you have power, you can control truth…”
Nota Bene
David French: Charlie Kirk and the Future of Political Violence - The New York Times
When I speak on college campuses, I’m often asked what single thing worries me most about American politics and culture. I have an easy answer — it’s hatred. Even vast political differences can be managed when people acknowledge the humanity and dignity of their opponents. At the same time, however, small conflicts can spiral into big ones when hatred and vengeance take away our eyes and ears.
Every threat, every assault, every shooting, every murder — and certainly every political assassination — builds the momentum of hate and fear.
You can look at the history of American conflict and unrest and see the same pattern time and again. What starts as a political difference becomes a blood feud the instant someone is hurt or killed. And so each act of political violence has a double consequence. It shatters families, and — over time — it breaks nations.
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Bolsonaro found guilty in attempted coup, assassination plot - The Washington Post
BRASÍLIA — Brazil’s Supreme Court has found former president Jair Bolsonaro guilty of attempting a military coup to stay in power after his 2022 election loss, a plot that included plans to assassinate President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the man who defeated him, in a case that has roiled this young democracy and strained its relations with President Donald Trump.
Bolsonaro is the first former president found guilty of trying to undermine Latin America’s largest democracy. Advocates for accountability hoped the verdict would prove a turning point for a nation that has suffered more than a dozen coup attempts but historically has opted for political conciliation rather than prosecution. Trump, a Bolsonaro ally and friend, had imposed tariffs on Brazilian imports and sanctions on Supreme Court justices to pressure them to drop the case.
Thursday dogs
Eli could spend all day in the water.
