Spread Disinformation
Many politicians lie, but authoritarians propagate and amplify falsehoods deliberately, consistently and continuously.
Authoritarian leaders deliberately distort facts, rewrite history and promote conspiracy theories to confuse the public and undermine shared understanding of reality.
These lies have two purposes: First, they are political weapons aimed at crippling opponents and shoring up key constituencies through false grievances. Secondly, they are smokescreens for power grabs and abuses, insulating authoritarians against accountability by sowing doubt and confusion.
This creates an environment where citizens cannot make informed decisions and democratic debate becomes almost impossible. The goal is not always to sell a lie, but instead to undermine the notion that anything in particular is true.