Throughout the world, Tim, governments have taken measures to restrict the the movements and rights of their citizens. Whether it’s conducting business or going to school or travelling, there are countless activities we might have done before that officials prohibit we do now.

More authoritarian for whom? in which way/s? with what methods of repression being used? compared to which other developed (or just G7) nations? This poll is much too vague for me to vote.

This poll is much too vague for me to vote. — 180 Proof

:100:

Got to narrow the question a little: are the people who have power (i.e., who make the major decisions and control the political and economic institutions) becoming more authoritarian?

No more than they've always been.

Let's not pretend there's any principles involved on which most people base their judgments. The people screaming about authoritarianism because of the "big government" shutting things down or requiring masks are the same ones who will defend the government when it's the party they prefer.

The people screaming about corporations restricting their "freedoms" concerning vaccines and free speech are the same ones who have been telling us for years that private enterprise should be free to conduct their private businesses how they see fit -- including discriminating against minorities.

We just had four years under a man who wanted to undermine a free election and incited an insurrection when he lost, but now we're asking about authoritarianism? The timing the question itself seems politically motivated. Seems to me we just barely escaped a descent into authoritarianism.

No, the US oscillates between the Southern Democrats of the mid 20th century and the moderate/progressive Modern Democrats. Obama was a major step forward and Trump was the backlash. But, the mind worm of Trumpism still resonates with the defeated authoritarians that imagine themselves evangelical martyrs and think their religious beliefs are laws. As a people we have political identities that are no longer from the same universe which is driving quite a bit of weirdness. Hopefully Biden will provide the uneasy compromise of a decent human being with a desire to serve his countries best interest in the context of a global community. Easier said then done.