Masha Gessen: Militant Incompetence
on Saturday, June 17, 2017Masha Gessen Money Quote saying autocratic tendencies can be two sides of a bad penny because simple minds are accepting of forceful incompetence expressed by Trump. Masha Gessen said:
“It is Mr. Trump’s insistence on simplicity that makes him want to rule like an autocrat. Militant incompetence and autocracy are not in opposition: They are two sides of a coin” — Masha Gessen
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Masha Gessen is criticizing aspects of Donald Trump’s leadership style and approach to governance. The quote suggests that Trump’s preference for oversimplifying complex issues aligns with a desire to rule in an autocratic manner.
Gessen argues that “militant incompetence” – aggressively pushing simplistic policies without regard for nuance or expertise – enables autocratic tendencies, as it concentrates power in the leader rather than engaging in collaborative, informed decision making.
The message is that Trump’s penchant for reducing everything to basic terms makes democratic governance more difficult and lends itself to unilateral, authoritarian rule by the president.
Overall, Gessen sees Trump’s preference for simplicity and apparent incompetence as two sides of the same coin that undermine democratic norms and institutions.
#NationalSimplicityDay July 11