There is growing concern, bordering on despair, over the movement by the Republican Party toward autocracy. Donald Trump frequently displays his affection for tyrants around the world, and many in his party try hard to emulate him. It is important for us to recognize the threat we face and appreciate the value of what we might lose. If current trends continue, we could be facing single-party (Republican) rule with a tyrant at the top. Do we want to live in such a country?

There is a certain advantage to autocracy, but also a danger. Physicist Richard Feynman explained this in a wonderful 1956 lecture, “The Relation of Science and Religion.” In his day, communism was the big threat, and he compared communism and democracy, concluding that democracy is more consistent with the scientific spirit of admitting doubt and uncertainty:

“The democratic government is much closer to this idea, because there is discussion and a chance of modification. One doesn’t launch the ship in a definite direction. It is true that if you have a tyranny of ideas, so that you know exactly what has to be true, you act very decisively, and it looks good – for a while. But soon the ship is heading in the wrong direction, and no one can modify the direction any more.”

Is our ship turning in the wrong direction? Is there time to modify the direction anymore? Is the preservation of our democratic, constitutional republic not the most urgent priority of our time?

Michael Bacon
Westbrook