Magnet or Chain: How to Tell an Authority from an Authoritarian

We follow an authority because we see light in them; we follow an authoritarian because we see fear in ourselves.

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What is the difference between authority and authoritarianism? Both terms come from the Latin auctoritas, which means “author” or “originator.” The verb augere, meaning “to increase,” is at the root of auctor. Authority originally meant someone who brings something into being and enhances it — makes it grow.

The word “authoritarian” derives…