George Orwell’s 1984, a dystopian classic novel, is a staple in American high school English and social studies curricula. 1984 is taught in 9th or 10th grade and used to introduce themes of totalitarianism, propaganda and censorship.

Likewise, studying Adolf Hitler’s accession to power in 1933 whereby Nazi’s set out to reconstruct German society is taught in the 11th or 12th grade in America’s school systems.

All voting-age Americans are knowledgeable of Donald Trump’s attitude, opinions, values, actions, beliefs, behavior, practices and policies.

Hence, as a result of this education, many Americans notice similarities between Trump and the patterns found in Orwell’s 1984 and Hitler’s era. These similarities are seen as repeated patterns, not exact copies of totalitarianism.

Ask yourself: Which signs of growing authoritarianism do you notice most?

Core components

The first of four core components people point to when comparing Orwell’s 1984, Hitler and Trump is the emphasis on a single leader as the embodiment of the nation, with loyalty to him prioritized over loyalty to institutions, Congress, US Constitution, Supreme Court and/or the law. This is an echo of fascist leadership cults and Big Brother’s centrality noted in 1984.

Another point is that Hitler repeatedly told lies until they were accepted, while Mr. Trump’s statements feature blatant falsehoods and misinformation; 30,573 false or misleading claims during Trump 1.0 (Washington Post, Jan. 24, 2021). CNN, AP, PBS and CBS News have catalogued 10-20 false or misleading claims per major appearance during Trump’s 2.0 presidency.

Mr. Trump’s discrediting of independent media – “enemy of the people” — and attacks on journalists – “obnoxious reporter,” “stupid” and “quiet piggy” – evoke both Nazi attacks on the Lugenpresse (lying press) and 1984’s state-controlled information system.

The 47th president’s statement to the public, “what you’re seeing and what you’re reading is not what’s happening,” strongly resembles Orwellian doublespeak and the demand to reject the evidence of your own eyes and ears. Americans have seen video footage of two people being killed by ICE agents in Minneapolis, know 60-70,000 people have been detained during Trump 2.0 (Deportation Data, Jan. 27) and realize 73.6% of those detained have never been convicted of any crime (TRAC Immigration).

1984-style elements

Mr. Trump’s insistence that Americans are getting facts from the media as “fake news” resembles Newspeak and the Ministry of Truth’s role in manufacturing false reality.

Mr. Trump’s effort to change or rewrite official government documents and websites, punish civil servants who present unwelcome data or replace independent experts with loyalists are seen as analogous to 1984’s constant revision of records to fit the party’s narrative.

Mr. Trump’s constant focus on vilifying groups like immigrants, political opponents (“vermin”) and journalists, functions like an ongoing “Two Minutes Hate,” channeling anger at designated enemies to consolidate support.

Hitler-era

Nazi propaganda portrayed Jews and other groups as parasitic, criminal or a biological threat to the nation. Mr. Trump has called migrants as “poisoning the blood of our country.” [P.S.: 97.1% of Americans are descendants of immigrants.] Mr. Trump has linked migrants to an alleged Christian nationalists’ replacement of native-born Americans, which parallels the neo-Nazi’s far-right “Great Replacement” ideology.

Historians of fascism point out Nazi authorities used visible humiliation, rough treatment and publicized expulsions to send a message to bystanders. Reporting on Trump 2.0 describes deportation flights with migrants shackled as deliberate “theater,” meant to demonstrate state power.

Mr. Trump’s repeated suggestions to use the military for domestic enforcement plus aggressive immigration raids and nationalizing elections is viewed as analogous to Hitler’s actions in Germany.

Authoritarian playbook

Mr. Trump’s illegal firing of 17 inspectors generals, firing career civil servants and demanding loyalty from his cabinet appointees, Congressional Republicans, America’s judicial system, military personnel and civil servants — intended by America’s founding fathers to be neutral and independent — tracks an authoritarian playbook of hollowing out USA’s checks and balances system that has worked quite well for 250 years.

Difference between America, Orwell’s 1984 and Nazi Germany

Unlike 1984 or Nazi Germany, the United States still has freedom of the press, Constitutionally-driven courts, federally elected representatives, state governments willing to resist, open elections and a strong civil society where people can organize, protest and criticize the president without automatic imprisonment.

Many scholars stress that Trump 2.0 is not the same as Hitler or Big Brother, but the patterns – attacks on truth, the rule-of-law erosion, reshaping the population along ethnic lines, scapegoating and leader-cult politics in GOP-dominated Congress, cabinet and Supreme Court – are early warning signs that if left unchecked, history shows that can lead democracies toward authoritarian regimes.

This is no genocide, but history warns us to be careful.

Only a strong civil society can ensure that America, in its 250th year of existence, remains a democracy and rejects an authoritarian dictatorship.

Will you help keep America strong or will you give in to Big Brother?

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Steve Corbin is a Professor Emeritus of Marketing at the University of Northern Iowa.