Authoritarianism Has Two Faces. One Has Been Long Ignored

Authoritarianism: More Than Politics

Authoritarianism represents a set of beliefs and traits that converge into a need for strong power, order, and submission. In practice, this manifests as obedience toward “our” authority—be it a leader, the state, or a party—and a readiness to punish or exclude those deemed “enemies.” This mindset carries the conviction that the world requires a clear structure, viewing any dissent against “rightful” norms as a threat. A tendency toward “us versus them” thinking and moral absolutism is also common.

In public debate, the word “authoritarianism” almost automatically links to the right: nationalism, strongmen, and a conservative “hard order.” However, a growing body of evidence shows that authoritarianism also possesses a progressive face—one equally inclined toward restricting freedoms, punishing opponents, and employing moral blackmail.

The Closed Mind: How One Becomes a Censor

Jonathan Haidt and Greg Lukianoff, authors of The Coddling of the American Mind, draw attention to this issue. They analyze the wave of protests against faculty and guest speakers on American campuses between 2013 and 2018. The authors identify the causes behind a new form of mental, cultural, and intellectual authoritarianism. While often rooted in good intentions, this phenomenon ultimately leads to the suppression of free speech.

What Left-Wing Authoritarianism Reveals

A breakthrough occurred with Thomas Costello’s 2022 study, which empirically confirmed the existence of left-wing authoritarianism in Western countries. The findings showed that it shares a common core with its right-wing counterpart: dogmatism, cognitive rigidity, aggression, and the belief that the world is a dangerous place.

Classic right-wing authoritarianism involves obedience to traditional authorities like the state or religion, aggression toward “sinners,” and rigid conservatism. Its left-wing equivalent operates symmetrically but in the opposite direction. It features submission to progressive authorities—such as scientists, activists, or certain political leaders—aggression against hierarchies (a desire to forcibly overthrow the existing order), preemptive censorship, and the rejection of traditional norms.

From Beliefs to Behaviors

The latest study, published in Personality and Individual Differences, shifts focus from what authoritarians think to the social tactics they use to influence others. Nearly five hundred adult U.S. citizens participated in the study. They reported how often they employed various self-presentation tactics—ranging from apologizing and acting as a “moral role model” to making excuses, intimidating others, or playing the “victim.”

The results surprised those who equate progressivism solely with altruism. Individuals with high levels of left-wing authoritarianism reported using selfish and opportunistic social tactics more frequently. In contrast, right-wing authoritarianism showed no significant correlation with these specific strategies.

According to the study, these individuals more often reach for excuses and justifications while emphasizing their special entitlements. They frequently employ intimidation and pressure, combining these with excessive self-promotion. They also tend to downplay their own abilities to explain away potential failures or play on pity by portraying themselves as uniquely in need of help.

Simultaneously, these individuals less frequently use “virtuous” self-presentation tactics, such as apologizing or admitting mistakes. From a psychological perspective, this suggests a profile where the image of a “committed progressive” may mask a harsh, instrumental treatment of others and a strong focus on self-interest.

Two Faces of the Same Coin

The contrast with right-wing authoritarianism is particularly striking, as it did not significantly correlate with these same selfish social tactics. Right-wing authoritarians did not stand out for their use of excuses, intimidation, or pleas for pity. Instead, they more often utilized virtuous tactics like apologizing or striving to be a role model.

Similarities only become apparent when one breaks down right-wing authoritarianism into narrower components. Both forms share a need for strict control, a penchant for punishing opponents, moral absolutism, and a dislike of pluralism. They differ in content, the direction of desired change, and social style. As the study demonstrated, it is the progressive, rather than the conservative, form of authoritarianism that appears clearly linked to selfish and opportunistic self-presentation strategies.

From Care to Control

These findings dismantle the convenient myth that authoritarianism is exclusively a right-wing problem. Psychologically, authoritarianism is a personality pattern that can hold various ideologies—conservative or progressive—but its inclination toward silencing others and using moral violence remains constant.

While the media focuses its criticism on the right, we must recognize that authoritarianism on the left can be just as dangerous. In some areas, it may even prove more ruthless and less humane in interpersonal relations. This is especially true when manipulative tactics hide behind the language of caring for the marginalized, equality, or “historical justice.”

The Authoritarianism on Our Side

The American study suggests that left-wing authoritarianism—marked by selfishness, low empathy, and opportunism—may be especially manipulative in everyday life. That may help explain why some circles move so quickly from the language of love to intimidation and cancel culture. It may also shed light on patterns of behaviour on social media and in politics.

This does not mean that right-wing authoritarianism is “better.” In any ideological form, authoritarianism corrodes relationships and weakens society. If democracy is to endure, we must stay alert to these tendencies wherever they emerge—whether under the banner of tradition and nation or in the name of equality and progress. Left-wing authoritarianism is no less dangerous; it is simply harder to see.

Read this article in Polish: Autorytaryzm ma dwa oblicza. Jedno było długo ignorowane