There are certainly disputes over the terms "authoritarian" and "totalitarian," but in European academic writing the terms are used intelligently by some leftist scholars. In the U.S. the terms were hijacked by anticommunist ideologues like Jeane J. Kirkpatrick.
However, if you really have never seen a "credible definition of what 'authoritarian' means," you might try getting a library card.
:-)
-Chip Berlet
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From: lbo-talk-bounces at lbo-talk.org on behalf of John Lacny Sent: Sun 1/23/2005 12:37 PM To: lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org Subject: [lbo-talk] "Authoritarian" -- define, please
I am bothered by the word "authoritarian," and never use it except to ridicule it, mostly because I have never seen anyone give a credible definition of what "authoritarian" means.
<SNIP>>
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