Polarize to Paralyze: How Authoritarian Leaders Exploit Conflict

Authoritarian leaders blame political opponents and stigmatize them as dangerous, immoral, or existential threats. They avoid shared responsibility and portray their opponents as not just having opposing views, but as fundamentally bad or violent. They create martyrs or symbolic figures to galvanize their base and threaten punitive responses that emphasize state power and justice that’s aligned with their own beliefs. Authoritarian leaders don’t cultivate unity, rather they use rhetoric to heighten fear and grievance including:

• Amplifying differences (political, cultural, religious, racial, etc.) to make groups feel further apart.
• Using inflammatory language that pits “us” against “them.”
• Exaggerating threats or problems caused by another group.
• Encouraging suspicion or distrust where cooperation or common ground might otherwise exist.
• Exploiting emotions like fear, anger, or pride to keep people polarized.

Those in the middle hold the power to tip the balance. Bridging the middle means listening, meeting people where they are, and focusing on common ground. Small steps of understanding can ripple outward, reducing polarization one conversation at a time.