Yeah this seems compelling, though it’s odd that probably the largest steps toward authoritarianism have been in direct response to “bad guys” (real or imagined)?

In my opinion states slowly devolve into authoritarianism anyway and will give whatever reason suites them. Hence the expression “the tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots & tyrants.” - Thomas Jefferson. Without opposition the state will no longer need excuses and simply impose what it wishes.

On the chance you have not, I'd highly recommend reading Plato's "Republic". If you're short of time, this [1] is "book" (more like chapter) 8. The section from "And democracy has her own good, of which the insatiable desire brings her to dissolution?" and onward is unbelievable. Aside from the language and handful of references to values that have changed quite substantially, one could easily dismiss it all as an edgelord writing an uninspired metaphor with hindsight of recent events, down to the exact roles and actions. But the words take on a different meaning altogether having been written 2,400 years ago!

It was this book that made me realize the old saying of history repeating itself was not in the sort of vague allegory that I once believed, but in very specific repeated actions in very specific orders - that keep repeating, separated by millennia. In an odd way it offers peace of mind. The world is not headed towards some unprecedented era of chaos. Instead the era we all grew up in (at least within the developed world), one of peace and relative stability, is what was unprecedented.

[1] - http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/republic.9.viii.html

I have not read it, I’ll add it to my reading list. Thanks for the recommendation.