How the World’s Shift Towards Authoritarianism is Changing Our Lives and Minds (2020-2025)

How the World’s Shift Towards Authoritarianism is Changing Our Lives and Minds (2020-2025) (Easy Version!)

This page is a more simplified version of a 25 page document that fully investigates this in detail. To read that full report click here…

Over the last five years, the world has seen a big change: more and more countries are moving towards a style of government where leaders have a lot of control and people have fewer freedoms. This isn’t just about politics; it’s deeply changing our daily lives and even how we think.

Think of it like this: imagine a playground where the rules are suddenly changing, and one person is taking over, making all the decisions. This affects how everyone plays and what they believe.

Here are some of the noticeable trends we’ve seen:

Cultural Changes: How We Live Our Lives

1. Less Freedom to Speak and Gather:
   • Governments are making it harder for people to speak freely, protest, or join groups that aren’t controlled by the state.  
   • They’re using new laws and advanced technology, like special surveillance tools, to watch people and stop them from disagreeing or organizing.  
   • In fact, global freedom has been declining for 19 years in a row, with more countries losing freedoms than gaining them.  
2. “Us vs. Them” Thinking:
   • There’s a growing trend where people focus strongly on their own country or group, often blaming outsiders, like immigrants, for problems.  
   • Leaders use this “us vs. them” idea to divide people and gain power, making it harder for different groups to get along.  
3. Minority Groups Face More Challenges:
   • People from ethnic, religious, or other minority groups (like LGBTQ+ individuals) are often treated unfairly. Their rights are being reduced, and they face more discrimination.  
   • This isn’t just a side effect; it’s often a deliberate strategy by powerful groups to control society and appeal to certain voters.  
4. Art and Culture Under Control:
   • Artistic expression, which is usually a way for people to show what they think and feel, is being suppressed. Governments try to control what artists create, pushing their own messages and stopping anything critical.  
   • This often makes artists afraid to express themselves freely, leading to “self-censorship,” where they hold back their true thoughts to avoid trouble.  

Changes in Thinking: How We Process Information and Form Beliefs

1. Information is Controlled:
   • It’s becoming harder to get unbiased news. Governments control media outlets, block websites, and spread their own stories, often using fake information or “bots” (automated accounts) online.  
   • This makes it very difficult for people to know what’s true and what’s propaganda.  
2. Less Critical Thinking:
   • With so much controlled information and the rise of quick answers from AI tools, people might be less likely to think deeply or question what they hear.  
   • This can make them more likely to believe things that fit their existing views, even if those views are based on false information.  
3. Loss of Trust in Important Groups:
   • People are losing trust in key institutions like the government, independent news organizations, and even scientists.  
   • R60].
   • When trust breaks down, it’s harder for society to work together and solve big problems, and people might feel less connected to their communities.  
4. The “Post-Truth” World:
   • We’re seeing a trend where objective facts seem to matter less. People might become cynical and stop believing anything, no matter how well it’s proven.  
   • This widespread doubt and cynicism can make people less likely to participate in their communities or challenge powerful leaders, as they feel nothing they do will make a difference.  

In short, as more countries become authoritarian, it changes not only the rules we live by but also the very way we see the world and interact with each other. These changes are deeply connected, creating a cycle that can make it harder for societies to protect their freedoms.

References 

Works cited

1. Full article: State of the world 2022: defiance in the face of …, accessed August 4, 2025, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13510347.2023.2199452
2. The Global Expansion of Authoritarian Rule | Freedom House, accessed August 4, 2025, https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2022/global-expansion-authoritarian-rule
3. The Uphill Battle to Safeguard Rights | Freedom House, accessed August 4, 2025, https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2025/uphill-battle-to-safeguard-rights
4. Freedom in the World 2020: A Leaderless Struggle for Democracy, accessed August 4, 2025, https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2020/leaderless-struggle-democracy
5. Full article: Expert knowledge and policymaking in authoritarian contexts: a systematic review – Taylor & Francis Online, accessed August 4, 2025, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01442872.2025.2501034?af=R
6. “It is not shrinking, ngo s need unlimited freedom”: Government Stance on the Perceived Shrinkage of Civic Space in Tanzan – Brill, accessed August 4, 2025, https://brill.com/view/journals/jsik/2/1/article-p77_7.pdf
7. Shrinking Civic Space, Digital Funding, and Legitimacy in a Post-Truth Era, accessed August 4, 2025, https://carnegieendowment.org/research/2025/07/shrinking-civic-space-digital-funding-and-legitimacy-in-a-post-truth-era?lang=en
8. Collective Action Under Repressive Conditions: Integration of Individual, Group, and Structural Level Research, Recommendations,, accessed August 4, 2025, https://commons.clarku.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1952&context=faculty_psychology
9. Mastering the Paradox: How Governments Fight and Feed Disinformation at Once, accessed August 4, 2025, https://perryworldhouse.upenn.edu/news-and-insight/mastering-the-paradox-how-governments-fight-and-feed-disinformation-at-once/
10. What We Can Do – The Authoritarian Playbook for 2025, accessed August 4, 2025, https://www.authoritarianplaybook2025.org/what-we-can-do
11. Full article: Populism in power and regional (dis-)integration: charting paths of populist regionalism in Europe and Latin America – Taylor & Francis Online, accessed August 4, 2025, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07036337.2025.2465374
12. Cultural Backlash: Trump, Brexit and Authoritarian Populism – Pippa Norris, accessed August 4, 2025, https://www.pippanorris.com/cultural-backlash-1
13. Cultural Backlash: Trump, Brexit, and Authoritarian Populism – a New Book by Pippa Norris and Ronald Inglehart – WVS Database, accessed August 4, 2025, https://www.worldvaluessurvey.org/WVSNewsShow.jsp?ID=393
14. The Role of Populism in Redefining Citizenship and Social Inclusion for Migrants in Europe, accessed August 4, 2025, https://www.populismstudies.org/the-role-of-populism-in-redefining-citizenship-and-social-inclusion-for-migrants-in-europe/
15. Democracy in the Shadow of the Global Rise in Authoritarian Populism, accessed August 4, 2025, https://www.hks.harvard.edu/centers/carr-ryan/our-work/carr-ryan-commentary/democracy-shadow-global-rise-authoritarian-populism
16. Political polarization in the United States – Wikipedia, accessed August 4, 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_polarization_in_the_United_States
17. Project 2025’s Distortion of Civil Rights Law Threatens Americans With Legalized Discrimination, accessed August 4, 2025, https://www.americanprogress.org/article/project-2025s-distortion-of-civil-rights-law-threatens-americans-with-legalized-discrimination/
18. Overview of President Trump’s Executive Actions Impacting LGBTQ+ Health – KFF, accessed August 4, 2025, https://www.kff.org/other/fact-sheet/overview-of-president-trumps-executive-actions-impacting-lgbtq-health/
19. The Dangers of Project 2025: Global Lessons in Authoritarianism, accessed August 4, 2025, https://www.americanprogress.org/article/the-dangers-of-project-2025-global-lessons-in-authoritarianism/
20. Human rights crisis as ‘Trump effect’ accelerates destructive trends – Amnesty International, accessed August 4, 2025, https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/04/global-human-rights-crisis-trump-effect-accelerates-destructive-trends/
21. Defending American arts, culture, and democracy – Brookings Institution, accessed August 4, 2025, https://www.brookings.edu/articles/defending-american-arts-culture-and-democracy/
22. Freemuse Releases State of Artistic Freedom 2025: ‘Art Is the Opposite of War’, accessed August 4, 2025, https://www.freemuse.org/freemuse-releases-state-of-artistic-freedom-2025-art-is-the-opposite-of-war
23. New Report Released: The State of Artistic Freedom 2025 – AICA International, accessed August 4, 2025, https://aicainternational.news/agora/2025/5/6/new-report-released-the-state-of-artistic-freedom-2025
24. Project 2025 – Wikipedia, accessed August 4, 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_2025
25. HRF Announces the Art in Protest Residency Program – Human Rights Foundation, accessed August 4, 2025, https://hrf.org/latest/hrf-announces-the-art-in-protest-residency-program/
26. Global Trends in Democracy and Authoritarianism: Challenges to Press Freedom | Congress.gov, accessed August 4, 2025, https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF12137
27. Freedom on the Net 2022: Countering an Authoritarian Overhaul of the Internet, accessed August 4, 2025, https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-net/2022/countering-authoritarian-overhaul-internet
28. Russia: Internet Blocking, Disruptions and Increasing Isolation – Human Rights Watch, accessed August 4, 2025, https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/07/30/russia-internet-blocking-disruptions-and-increasing-isolation
29. Information Manipulation | German Marshall Fund of the United States, accessed August 4, 2025, https://www.gmfus.org/focus-areas/information-manipulation
30. 3rd EEAS Report on Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference Threats, accessed August 4, 2025, https://www.eeas.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/2025/EEAS-3nd-ThreatReport-March-2025-05-Digital-HD.pdf
31. Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2025, accessed August 4, 2025, https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2025-06/Digital_News-Report_2025.pdf
32. The Rise of Digital Authoritarianism | Freedom House, accessed August 4, 2025, https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-net/2018/rise-digital-authoritarianism
33. Probing the paradox: are governments fighting or fueling disinformation? – Frontiers, accessed August 4, 2025, https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/communication/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2025.1429741/pdf
34. Microsoft study claims AI reduces critical thinking : r/Futurology – Reddit, accessed August 4, 2025, https://www.reddit.com/r/Futurology/comments/1jmq8o8/microsoft_study_claims_ai_reduces_critical/
35. The State of Critical Thinking in 2020 | REBOOT FOUNDATION, accessed August 4, 2025, https://reboot-foundation.org/the-state-of-critical-thinking-2020/
36. (PDF) Cognitive Biases and Their Influence on Critical Thinking and Scientific Reasoning: A Practical Guide for Students and Teachers – ResearchGate, accessed August 4, 2025, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/316486755_Cognitive_Biases_and_Their_Influence_on_Critical_Thinking_and_Scientific_Reasoning_A_Practical_Guide_for_Students_and_Teachers
37. 3006-7162 Volume 3, Number 1, 2025, Pages 3047 – The Critical Review of Social Sciences Studies, accessed August 4, 2025, https://thecrsss.com/index.php/Journal/article/download/372/426
38. Intolerance of uncertainty modulates brain-to-brain synchrony during politically polarized perception | PNAS, accessed August 4, 2025, https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2022491118
39. Science Caught in a Rip Tide: How Authoritarianism Sweeps Away Evidence-Based Policy, accessed August 4, 2025, https://blog.ucs.org/melissa-finucane/science-caught-in-a-rip-tide-how-authoritarianism-sweeps-away-evidence-based-policy/
40. The State of Public Trust in Government 2024, accessed August 4, 2025, https://ourpublicservice.org/publications/state-of-trust-in-government-2024/
41. Americans’ Declining Trust in Each Other and Reasons Behind It | Pew Research Center, accessed August 4, 2025, https://www.pewresearch.org/2025/05/08/americans-trust-in-one-another/
42. Populism Versus Science in Competitive Authoritarian Regimes – Oxford Academic, accessed August 4, 2025, https://academic.oup.com/ijpor/article/37/1/edae063/8069295
43. New book from UChicago professor argues for greater engagement as main democratic goal | University of Chicago News, accessed August 4, 2025, https://news.uchicago.edu/story/new-book-uchicago-professor-argues-greater-engagement-main-democratic-goal
44. Full article: Misinformation, disinformation, and fake news: lessons from an interdisciplinary, systematic literature review – Taylor & Francis Online, accessed August 4, 2025, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23808985.2024.2323736
45. Impact of Media-Induced Uncertainty on Mental Health: Narrative-Based Perspective – PMC, accessed August 4, 2025, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12175740/

The Impact of Affect on the Perception of Fake News on Social Media: A Systematic Review, accessed August 4, 2025, https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/12/12/674

This page was a more simplified version of a 25 page document that fully investigates this in detail. To read that full report click here…