WANTED: A UNITED FRONT AGAINST TRUMP

With a weakened Democratic Party seemingly incapable of adequately responding to the threat of authoritarian rule, it's time for other political actors to forge a united front against Donald Trump and his billionaire backers.

DONALD TRUMP has been in the White House less than a month, but already concerns are mounting about the rise of authoritarianism in the United States. Trump's rhetoric, his disregard, and his disdain for democratic norms, and his attacks on institutions that have long been seen as the bedrock of America's representative democracy have caused an increasing number of people to speculate whether the United States is headed toward the unthinkable, a dictatorship. Certainly, the United States is increasingly showing signs of slipping toward authoritarian rule. While the Democratic Party seems incapable of responding to the threat represented by Trump, it remains urgent that other political actors do act before it's too late and the lights go out.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, one of the most prominent voices on the American left, has been outspoken about the dangers of the drift toward authoritarianism. She has observed: 'The political reality that is our country today underscores the very real danger of allowing unchecked power to grow. Trump’s actions are mirroring those of autocratic leaders around the world, eroding the institutions that hold power to account and pushing the U.S. further from its democratic ideals.'

But even as these troubling signs mount, there is a possibility for a resistance—a movement that could rise from the very people who are most affected by Trump's policies: the working class. In the face of a growing oligarchy, where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, the American working class holds the power to oppose the authoritarian drift. The struggle for better wages, healthcare, and workers’ rights is also a struggle for democracy itself. As the government continues to prioritise the wealthy and powerful, a coalition of workers, unions, and grassroots organisations could emerge to challenge Trump’s agenda, standing firm against any erosion of democratic rights and freedoms.

In many ways, the rise of authoritarianism can be countered by a renewed focus on the needs of the working class, which has been increasingly marginalised in the political discourse. The U.S. left has a critical role to play in this, advocating for policies that not only challenge the status quo but offer a vision of a more just and equitable society. From healthcare reform to the fight for higher wages, left-wing movements have the potential to spark a large-scale resistance to the creeping authoritarianism that we see today.

As AOC and other progressive leaders have made clear, the task ahead is to stay vigilant and fight for the preservation of democracy. A strong, working-class opposition could become the cornerstone of the resistance, providing the energy and the vision needed to challenge the forces that seek to undermine American democracy. History teaches us that defeating authoritarian movements requires an expansive, potent 'united front', a broad working class movement, that can take the fight to the capitalist class.

The threat of dictatorship is real, but so is the power of the people. If it can be steadfast in its commitment to justice, equality, and democracy, the American working class could not only resist authoritarianism but pave the way for a more just society.

As AOC observes: 'We are up against an incredibly powerful political establishment. But times are changing. There are sites of real political struggles, in which an ascendant and organised working class can gain power. This is an opportunity to embark on a new mass movement of the working class.'