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Authoritarianism

Authoritarianism is an anti-democratic political system centered around complete control by a dictator, a particular group, or the military. In an authoritarian system, leaders maintain power by suppressing opponents directly, often using force, and by ending or limiting free elections. 

Big Lie

A Big Lie is a propaganda tactic by which political leaders promote a farfetched lie to mislead their constituents. Adolf Hitler described the concept and strategy behind the Big Lie in his manifesto, Mein Kampf. He asserted that people believe big lies because they can’t imagine anyone lying so brazenly, and therefore must be telling the truth. Over time, spreading and repeating the Big Lie becomes a kind of loyalty test for the leader’s followers. In contemporary American politics, according to Richardson, Donald Trump’s Big Lie is that the 2020 election was rigged against him. 

Civil Rights Act of 1964

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a civil rights and labor law proposed by President John F. Kennedy and passed after his assassination under his successor, Lyndon B. Johnson. The Civil Rights Act is one of the most significant pieces of legislation of the 20th century, outlawing employment discrimination, unequal voting requirements, and racial segregation in schools and public spaces. 

Fascism

Fascism is a far-right political ideology centered on a hierarchical view of people, organized around an authoritarian leader, and focused on extreme nationalism. Fascism is an anti-democratic movement that treats the leader’s political opponents as enemies of the state and glorifies violence as a sign of strength. 

Great Society

The Great Society is a series of laws and initiatives intended to eliminate poverty and racial injustice that was passed in the 1960s under President Lyndon B. Johnson. Many of the programs focused on education and healthcare, including Head Start, Medicare, and Medicaid, while others addressed the environment, poverty, transportation, and the arts. 

Individualism

Individualism is a philosophy focused on independence and self-reliance. As a political concept, individualism denotes the freedom to act without interference from social institutions, including governmental bodies. 

Liberal Consensus

The liberal consensus was an agreement across U.S. political parties during the mid-20th century. Proponents of the liberal consensus believed that the country was best served by a strong federal government that regulated business, provided social welfare programs, and invested in infrastructure to ensure a high standard of living. The liberal consensus grew out of the success of New Deal programs and federal spending tied to World War II, and lasted until opposition to civil rights legislation in the 1960s led to an ideological split.

Movement Conservatism

Movement conservatism is a political philosophy first laid out in 1954 by William F. Buckley and L. Brent Bozell that calls for an end to the liberal consensus. Movement conservatism advocates for ending government business regulation and promotes a nostalgic concept of traditional American values. Richardson argues that this approach has appealed to voters who oppose equal rights for women, people of color, and other marginalized groups.  

New Deal

The New Deal was a series of financial reforms and large-scale public projects instituted in the 1930s under President Franklin Roosevelt. The New Deal was intended to lift the U.S. out of the Great Depression, provide aid to unemployed and poor Americans, and establish safeguards against future financial crashes. While many New Deal relief programs ended after the Depression, many others remain important today, including the Social Security Administration and the Security and Exchange Commission.

Positive Polarization

Positive polarization is a political strategy first proposed by President Richard Nixon’s advisors, who sought to attract voters by accusing their political opponents of being un-American and therefore dangerous to the country. 

Reconstruction

Reconstruction refers to the period following the Civil War when U.S. troops occupied areas of the former Confederacy to reintegrate those states into the Union. The military also enforced laws ending slavery and establishing other social transformations for Black citizens, including labor reform, access to education, and the rights to vote, to own property, and to hold political office. Reconstruction also aimed to rebuild the South following the physical and economic devastation of the war. The period was marked by violent insurgency against U.S. troops and against Black people attempting to exercise their rights. Reconstruction began in 1865, at the end of the war, and ended in 1877, when Rutherford Hayes took office after a disputed election marked by corruption and violence. 

Signing Statement

A signing statement is added to legislation by the President when signing a bill into law, often attempting to override limits to executive power within the bill . Signing statements were first proposed during the Reagan administration by Samuel Alito and were used extensively by President George W. Bush, who nominated Alito to the Supreme Court in 2005. 

Voting Rights Act of 1965

The landmark civil rights legislation known as the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed under President Lyndon B. Johnson and sought to end racial discrimination in voting. Although constitutional amendments gave Black Americans the right to vote following the Civil War, in practice Black people in many states were prevented from voting by discriminatory state and local laws. In recent years, the Supreme Court has struck down vital aspects of the act.

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