Recently I read an editorial by Solomon Stevens, author of the book “Religion, Politics, and the Law.”

In his view, representative democracy can be so frustrating it draws us to seek autocratic leadership.  Nothing gets done and all you hear is arguing. The government appears completely ineffective and out of touch.

Despair about ineffective government is enhanced by rapid change and a feeling of being out of control. Our world certainly is changing and change can be disturbing. Our country is not as white as it once was. The traditional American family is no longer dominant.  Christian religions are in decline.  Automation is eliminating traditional jobs.  The role of men and women is shifting.  Even gender definition isn’t as clear.

In such environments, Stevens suggests people are attracted to authoritarianism. Accusations of President Trump being an autocrat fall on deaf ears because this is actually the reason why many elected him. They want an autocrat that can take control when the world seems out of control.

As always, history provides us some lessons. In Federalist Paper 51, James Madison warned of the allure of autocratic power.  Having a president with unchecked power might sound nice with someone like George Washington, but could be a problem if that president is not an angel.

Sound familiar?

In the 1920s and 1930s, Germany was experiencing a time of social, economic and political unrest. The German Empire was destroyed by losing World War I. The peace treaty forced Germany to pay reparations for the war.  War debts and reparation payments caused hyperinflation. Then the Great Depression further hammered their economy.

Their newly-installed democratic government struggled to respond. Disagreements paralyzed their ability to govern and the people lost faith in their government. Adolph Hitler and the Nazi Party made attractive promises, which increased their popularity and helped them seize power.

They promised to fix the economy and put people back to work.  (“We’re going to bring manufacturing jobs back to America.”)

They promised to return Germany to the status of a great European and world power. (“We’re going to make America great again.”)

They promised to regain territory Germany lost in WWI.  (“Canada, Greenland and the Panama Canal are going to be ours.”)

They promised to create a strong, authoritarian German government. (“Our president should not be constrained by Congress or our judges.”)

They played on people’s fears and prejudices, blaming the Jews and Communists for all of Germany’s problems. (“Undocumented immigrants, university elitists and socialistic Democrats are the root of all our problems.”)

As Madison warned 150 years earlier, Hitler was no angel. Neither is Donald Trump.  Yet too many of us are so disillusioned with our government, we’re ready to throw the Constitution in a trash can and turn the country over to a very flawed man who promises to take charge and fix everything yesterday. 

It is laughable to suggest our problems today are even remotely as severe as those in post-war Germany.  How ironic is it that the Americans who loudly profess they are patriots are the same Americans that want a king?

In the creation of our Constitution, many of our Founding Fathers deferred to the wisdom and advice of Benjamin Franklin – the oldest, most experienced and probably wisest among them.  Despite its imperfections, he encouraged everyone to accept and ratify the Constitution for the sake of unity and a functioning government.

“I consent to this Constitution because I expect no better, and because I am not sure that it is not the best,” he said.

As he aged, Franklin had realized his opinions could change and that it was a good thing to have some humility and doubt his own infallibility. This was part of the advice he shared with those most stridently opposed to some specific part of the Constitution. Such humility is a rare attribute today.

As he left the Constitutional Convention, he was asked by a prominent socialite, “Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?” 

Franklin replied, “A republic, if you can keep it.”

History and our wisest Founding Fathers tell us the next four years are going to be very dangerous for our republic. Over 77 million voting Americans, our majority in Congress, a majority of our judges, and conservative ideological think tanks have all succumbed to the siren call of authoritarianism out of frustration with messy and slow compromise and consensus that is the cornerstone of democratic governance.

As our 45th president advised us in a speech on Jan. 6, 2020: “Fight like hell.  And if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore.”

That country I’m willing to fight for is a republic, and I pray that we show Benjamin Franklin that we can keep it.