Defeating Authoritarianism Requires Systemic Reform and Proactive Democratic Construction

Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams · December 18, 2025 · Listen to Original Episode →

Original Title:

TL;DR

Authoritarianism's insidious spread is not halted by elections alone, but requires simultaneous recognition of its presence, active resistance, and the proactive construction of superior democratic systems to replace broken ones.
The legislative branch's ineffectiveness against authoritarianism stems from a failure to recognize its fundamental nature, leading to a focus on power acquisition over systemic reform and a reliance on outdated political paradigms.
Lower courts serve a critical role in slowing authoritarian measures and laying groundwork for future fixes, even if the Supreme Court's current posture undermines their efforts by ignoring precedent.
Democratic congressional leadership's muted response to authoritarianism is partly due to a belief that it is merely extreme polarization, rather than a novel, virulent threat requiring a paradigm shift in strategy.
The effectiveness of democratic opposition lies not in mimicking opponents or seeking "coolness," but in authentic articulation of values, relentless communication of harm, and demonstrating democracy's tangible benefits.
Focusing on convincing opposing voters is less effective than mobilizing those who share democratic values but are disengaged, by making the party and its beliefs more accessible and inclusive.
Voter suppression tactics are perfected through consistent practice in primaries and local elections, underscoring the need for bottom-up engagement with election boards and poll worker participation.

Deep Dive

Stacey Abrams argues that defeating authoritarianism requires a three-pronged, urgent approach: recognition of its pervasive presence, active resistance, and the proactive building of a superior alternative. This framework necessitates a fundamental shift in strategy beyond traditional electoral politics, demanding a sustained effort to reform systemic weaknesses that authoritarianism exploits. The core implication is that simply restoring the pre-authoritarian status quo is insufficient and invites its resurgence; instead, a deliberate construction of more resilient democratic institutions is paramount.

The immediate danger lies in the fragility of democratic systems, which can collapse under internal pressures rather than external threats, as seen in the ease with which authoritarian regimes can insert themselves. Abrams emphasizes that authoritarianism does not end with elections; therefore, resistance must involve more than electoral victories. It requires delivering tangible services and demonstrating a better societal outcome to build public faith and actively dismantle the broken pieces of current systems. This includes re-evaluating foundational structures like the Supreme Court and Congress to ensure they are pluralistic and serve all constituents, not just a select few. The analysis extends to the role of lower courts, which, despite the Supreme Court's potential to undermine their efforts, can still slow down authoritarian measures and lay the groundwork for future reforms. This process is likened to Thurgood Marshall's long-term legal strategy that culminated in Brown v. Board of Education, highlighting that sustained legal challenges, even if not immediately decisive, build a critical narrative and legal foundation.

Abrams critiques the muted response from some Democratic congressional leadership, attributing it to a failure to recognize the current threat as a novel form of "American authoritarianism" rather than an extreme version of normal political polarization. She contends that authoritarians operate effectively at state and local levels, bypassing congressional action, and that Congress must become louder and more visible in articulating the harm being done and demonstrating democracy's capacity to deliver. This involves not only legislative efforts but also a relentless articulation of values and a commitment to authenticity over attempting to mimic opponents or adopt a "cool" persona. The underlying principle is that authenticity, reflecting diverse identities and addressing specific needs, is the most potent brand for democratic movements, fostering trust and belief in their ability to improve lives. This contrasts with a perceived "centrism" that may justify violating core values for political expediency, a strategy Abrams rejects in favor of mobilizing those who share values but feel unrepresented by existing political structures. She advocates for focusing on engaging these disaffected individuals, rather than trying to convert staunch opponents, by demonstrating that democracy can deliver tangible benefits.

Ultimately, the fight against authoritarianism is framed as a long-term, systemic endeavor that requires persistent, small, and repetitive actions to reaffirm democratic principles. Abrams stresses that the exhaustion induced by authoritarian tactics is a primary weapon, and combating it involves building a broad coalition where individuals can "tag in and tag out," sharing the load and sustaining momentum. This collective action, analogous to the "Dunkirk" spirit of ordinary citizens contributing to a vital rescue, is presented as the mechanism through which micro-actions knit together to form a powerful, unified force capable of protecting democracy and building a better future.

Action Items

Audit authentication flow: Identify three classes of vulnerabilities (SQL injection, XSS, CSRF) across 10 critical endpoints to prevent systemic compromise.
Create runbook template: Define 5 required sections (setup, common failures, rollback, monitoring) to standardize operational knowledge and prevent future incidents.
Measure system fragility: For 3-5 core infrastructure components, quantify failure rates under simulated stress to identify and address systemic weaknesses.
Track 5-10 key democratic process indicators (e.g., voter registration, legislative engagement) to measure progress against authoritarian encroachment.
Implement a feedback loop for legislative proposals: For 3-5 key policy areas, solicit and analyze public input to ensure democratic accountability and responsiveness.

Key Quotes

"I have been amazed at how fragile our systems are this venerable nation built on infrastructure and constitution and norms quickly collapsed and it did so not because of external pressures but because we had for so long presumed we all had a shared goal and so I was saddened by how easy it was for this authoritarian regime to insert itself."

Stacey Abrams expresses surprise at the fragility of American systems, noting that internal assumptions of shared goals allowed an authoritarian regime to insert itself easily. Abrams highlights that the collapse was not due to external forces but rather an internal vulnerability.

"So there are three things you have to do if you want to defeat authoritarianism: you have to recognize that it exists, you have to then activate around resistance, but then you've got to build what comes next, and those three pieces have to be treated with equal urgency but not necessarily the same tactics."

Stacey Abrams outlines a three-step strategy for defeating authoritarianism: recognition, activation through resistance, and building what comes next. Abrams emphasizes that these three components are equally urgent, though they may require different approaches.

"The legislative has basically been a rubber stamp and then the judicial at the lower court level has tried to intercede but as you point out Vera at the top of the funnel you've got a Supreme Court that just keeps saying oops yeah you can we didn't say you couldn't or we said you couldn't but we didn't mean it and so we're watching the Supreme Court walk back its precedents completely ignore the term and its term of art stare decisis it stands decided and really it's fomenting authoritarianism."

Stacey Abrams critiques the current state of the judiciary, describing the legislative branch as a "rubber stamp" and the Supreme Court as undermining its own precedents. Abrams argues that the Supreme Court's actions, by ignoring "stare decisis," are actively contributing to authoritarianism.

"The problem for Congress is that Congress tends to believe that it is the imprimatur of what democracy can be on the legislative side, but what authoritarians understand is that they can do this at the state level, at the local level, they can do it through the economy, and that Congress is only one facet."

Stacey Abrams points out a disconnect in how Congress perceives its role versus how authoritarians operate. Abrams explains that while Congress may see itself as the primary legislative force for democracy, authoritarians strategically leverage state, local, and economic avenues, making Congress only one part of a larger battle.

"The most pernicious and effective power of authoritarianism is exhaustion. You just get tired of fighting, and as long as it's not that bad, you can deal with it. And so part of what we have to fight back against is not the legitimacy of the exhaustion, but what we do with the exhaustion."

Stacey Abrams identifies exhaustion as a primary tool of authoritarianism, suggesting that people become complacent when the situation is not perceived as immediately dire. Abrams stresses the importance of addressing not just the feeling of exhaustion, but how individuals choose to act despite it.

"The maga movement believes what they believe and and the way I like to talk about it is that as someone who is pro-choice, someone who is pro-democracy, someone who believes in civil and human rights as a native good, someone who thinks poverty is a moral, there is nothing you can tell me to convince me that my values are wrong. Why do we think we can do that to someone who believes something different?"

Stacey Abrams argues that attempting to convert individuals with fundamentally different values is ineffective, using her own deeply held pro-choice and pro-democracy beliefs as an example. Abrams questions the assumption that one can easily change the core values of those with opposing viewpoints.

Resources

External Resources

Books

"Project 2025" - Mentioned as a text that informed understanding of authoritarian tactics.
"On Tyranny" - Mentioned as a book that anchored the host and provided a framework for victory.
"God of Jade and Shadow" by Silvia Moreno Garcia - Mentioned as a beautiful story about Mexican mythology that stayed with the host.
"Now Then" by Morgan Radford - Mentioned as an extraordinary story about love, Cuban history, and the human cost of beliefs, which the host is still sitting with.
"The Phantom Tollbooth" - Mentioned as a favorite childhood book the host would like to see adapted into a movie.

Articles & Papers

"The 10 Steps Campaign" - Mentioned as a framework articulating steps to defeat authoritarianism.
"Democracy Forward" - Mentioned as an organization that has been filing lawsuits to fight authoritarianism.
"ACLU" - Mentioned as an organization that has been filing lawsuits to fight authoritarianism.
"Democracy Doc" - Mentioned as an organization doing significant work in protecting democracy.

People

Stacey Abrams - Host of the podcast "Assembly Required."
Farrah Safari - Associate Producer of "Assembly Required."
June Membron - Reddit user who asked a question about defeating authoritarianism.
Vera - Mentioned in relation to the Supreme Court's actions.
Sky Perryman - Mentioned in relation to a conversation about democracy and democracy forward.
Liz Shuler - Mentioned in relation to a conversation with AFLCIO.
Becky Pringle - Mentioned in relation to a conversation with NEA.
Thurgood Marshall - Mentioned in the context of landmark Supreme Court decisions.
Perry Mason - Mentioned as a fictional lawyer character.
Gavin Newsom - Mentioned as a governor who took action against authoritarianism and used humor on Twitter.
Brandon Johnson - Mentioned as a mayor who fought back against attacks on DEI.
Ezra Klein - Mentioned in relation to a conversation about Trump not being the end goal of authoritarianism.
Tim Woo - Mentioned in relation to a conversation about technology and economic monopolies.
Curtis Yarvin - Mentioned as a "shadowy tech bro" with a desire to disrupt elections.
Ari Berman - Mentioned as a guest on the show who discussed voter suppression.
Mark Elias - Mentioned for his work with Democracy Doc.
Erica Chenoweth - Mentioned as an author who discussed the tipping point for civil resistance.
Marjorie Taylor Greene - Mentioned as a figure in the MAGA party who has capitulated.
Nancy Mace - Mentioned as a figure in the MAGA party who has capitulated.
David Graham - Mentioned as a guest on the show who discussed Project 2025.
Robert F. Kennedy Foundation - Mentioned in relation to a John Lewis Fellowship program.
Anthony Anderson - Mentioned as a co-host on The Jimmy Kimmel Show.
John Lewis - Mentioned in relation to a fellowship program.
Selena Stewart - Current leader of the League of Women Voters.
Maria Shriver - Co-founder of Mosh.
Patrick Schwarzenegger - Co-founder of Mosh.

Organizations & Institutions

Acorns - Financial wellness app mentioned as a sponsor.
Crooked Media - Production company for "Assembly Required."
AFLCIO - Mentioned in relation to a conversation with Liz Shuler.
NEA - Mentioned in relation to a conversation with Becky Pringle.
Democracy Forward - Organization mentioned as filing lawsuits to fight authoritarianism.
ACLU - Organization mentioned as filing lawsuits to fight authoritarianism.
Fair Fight - Organization founded by Stacey Abrams focused on election protection.
Fair Count - Organization mentioned as fighting for democracy.
Black Voters Matter - Organization mentioned as fighting for democracy.
League of Women Voters - Organization mentioned for its work in election protection and local government resources.
Common Cause - Organization mentioned for its resources on local government.
Women's Alzheimer's Movement - Organization that Mosh donates a portion of proceeds to.
Fidelity - Company offering trading platforms.
State Street Investment Management - Company offering ETFs.
Mosh - Brand offering brain-boosting protein bars.
The Points Guy - Publication that ranked Mosh points as valuable.
The Jimmy Kimmel Show - Show where Stacey Abrams discussed the "10 Steps" campaign.
Robert F. Kennedy Foundation - Organization mentioned in relation to a fellowship program.
Wake County Democratic Party - Organization a listener volunteered with.
Saint Pete's Sake - Local initiative mentioned by a listener.

Websites & Online Resources

Acorns.com/assembly - URL to sign up for Acorns.
joinbuilt.com/assembly - URL to join Built, a loyalty program for renters.
statestreet.com/im - Website for State Street Investment Management.
fidelity.com/tradoplus - Website for Fidelity Trader Plus.
moshlife.com/assembly - URL to get a discount on Mosh bars.

Podcasts & Audio

Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams - The podcast being transcribed.
Psa - Podcast mentioned as a source of motivation for a listener.
Vote Save America - Content mentioned as helping a listener stay informed.

Other Resources

Project 2025 - Mentioned as a text that informed understanding of authoritarian tactics.
Competitive Authoritarianism - Term used to describe the current political situation.
The 10 Steps Campaign - A framework for defeating authoritarianism.
DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) - Concept discussed in relation to political messaging and effectiveness.
Christian Nationalism - Concept discussed in relation to authoritarianism.
Pro-Natalism - Concept discussed in relation to authoritarianism.
Christian Nationalism - Concept discussed in relation to authoritarianism.
Ethno-fascism - Concept discussed in relation to authoritarianism.
Gestapo - Mentioned as the secret police in Nazi Germany.
Dui - Mentioned as a type of ETF.
MDY - Mentioned as an ETF from State Street.
DIA - Mentioned as an ETF from State Street.
Cognizin - A premium nootropic ingredient in Mosh bars.
Gender-Based Brain Health Research - Area of research funded by Mosh.
Voter Suppression - Concept discussed in relation to election integrity.
Redistricting - Concept discussed in relation to political power and representation.
Medicaid Expansion - Policy mentioned in relation to North Carolina's progress.
Pass/Fail System - Grading system used in the first year of Yale Law School.