Authoritarian State Conversion: America's Past and the Trumpian Future

Abstract Is American government becoming authoritarian, and if so, how? Converting a nonautocratic state to authoritarian ends requires at least three transformations: (1) centralization of preexisting administrative processes, (2) elimination of obstructive personnel, and (3) creation of a national police force. Understanding these processes and their implications for the United States requires not only understanding of comparative politics but also appreciation for the complexities of American bureaucratic development. I review previous developments in near-authoritarian governance in the United States under the Adams Administration, the Fugitive Slave Act, and the development of Comstockery and the FBI. Focusing on state conversion pinpoints the likely strategies of authoritarians in America as well as possible reform strategies for protecting public administration in a democratic republic.