Summary

“Anticipatory obedience”—preemptively conforming to authoritarian rule—is enabling Trump’s second-term power grab.

Drawing parallels between Putin’s Russia and Trump’s America, it’s similar how media, corporations, and universities are self-censoring to align with shifting political norms.

However, rational justifications for compliance—such as protecting jobs or funding—ultimately enable autocracy.

Historical examples show that those who initially cooperate often lose control, reinforcing the need to resist rather than normalize authoritarianism.