I was doing some research for an assignment when I saw an interesting citation. I followed it to a dusty old tome which seems to be quite well known. Here's the excerpt I selected... Keep in mind the time period of writing.

Fascism, in order to be successful as a political movement, must have a mass basis. It must secure not only the frightened submission but the active cooperation of the great majority of the people. Since by its very nature it favors the few at the expense of the many, it cannot possibly demonstrate that it will so improve the situation of most people that their real interests will be served. It must therefore make its major appeal, not to rational self-interest, but to emotional needs - often to the most primitive and irrational wishes and fears. If it be argued that fascist propaganda fools people into believing that their lot will be improved, then the question arises: why are they so easily fooled? Because, it may be supposed, of their personality structure; because of long-established patterns of hopes and aspirations, fears and anxieties that dispose them to certain beliefs and make them resistant to others. The task of fascist propaganda, in other words, is rendered easier to the degree that antidemocratic potentials already exist in the great mass of people. It may be granted that in Germany economic conflicts and dislocations within the society were such that for this reason alone the triumph of fascism was sooner or later inevitable; but the Nazi leaders did not act as if they believed this to be so; instead they acted as if it were necessary at every moment to take into account the psychology of the people - to activate every ounce of their antidemocratic potential, to compromise with them, to stamp out the slightest spark of rebellion. It seems apparent that any attempt to appraise the chances of a fascist triumph in America must reckon with the potential existing in the character of the people. Here lies not only the susceptibility to antidemocratic propaganda but the most dependable sources of resistance to it.

Honestly, Donnie doesn't strike me an an authoritarian.. I just think that would require a bit more of a brain. But as a demagogue, he fits the fucking bill for the first half of the text. Like most people, I think it was a culmination of many different things (outside influence, DNC corruption, countless bipartisan issues brought to boiling point) that led to Donnie's victory in November, which led so many people to seemingly damn the system for the sake of damning it. ..The country needs to get back on track, and soon.