This document discusses authoritarian and single-party states. It begins by introducing the concepts of authoritarianism and single-party rule. It then asks how a single-party state could be established and maintained in the United States. Specifically, it asks which political ideology could be used to establish single-party control and how the opposition would be handled to ensure that control is maintained.

1. Authoritarian and Single
Party States
Introduction and Political Spectrum

2. SA Strongly Agree
A Agree
N Neutral
D Disagree
SD Strongly Disagree
1. It should be the responsibility of governments should provide people with health care
and do whatever it takes to pay for it, even if that means raising taxes.
2. Students should not be forced to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in school or recite
daily prayers.
3. The United States is a country founded upon immigration. We should keep our borders
open widely and offer new residents equal legal protections.
4. Corporations should be run by the government, and the goods and services they
provide be offered equally to anyone who wants them, regardless of ability to pay.
5. Militaries should be abolished. Military intervention is always unjust and unwarranted;
there are other means for resolving conflict.

3. 6. Vibrant political debates are crucial for a well functioning society. All political
campaigns should be publically funded, private donations should be abolished, and we
should establish a greater variety of political parties.
7. Governments should always protect the interest of the collective group over the rights
of the individual when creating policy, even if this means taking away wealth, or
property from individuals.
8. Prisons should be abolished, and the criminal justice system should be completely
reformed. Governments have no right to impose the death penalty.
9. The gap between rich and poor is evidence that the ruling classes exploit the working
classes.
10. Any and all forms of race, sex, gender, or ability discrimination should be eliminated
throughout society. This includes allowing women to serve throughout the military, and
all buildings should accommodate the needs of disabled individuals.
11. All education should be free and provided by the government, regardless of cost.
Tuitions for all universities should be abolished and students should be allowed to
study where they please.

4. 12. The environment is a common good that we must do whatever it takes to protect for
future generations. This means that the government can limit what corporations and
individuals do.
13. All knowledge is good and should be open for discussion in schools and society. This
means no books or media can be censored, and governments cannot limit political
speech.
14. The priorities and interests of the nation should come above all other concerns of the
individual.
15. Governments should have no role in family planning and should provide family with all
means necessary to ensure the health of families. This means women’s right to
abortion is fully protected, families receive fully paid leave to raise young children, and
there should be no limits to the amount of welfare families receive for raising children.
16. Our culture is not corrupted when foreign ideas and individuals enter the country.

5. Rubric
SA - 6 points
A - 4 points
D - 2 points
SD - 0 points
Far Left - more than 85 points
Socialist/Communist - more than 60 points
Democratic Liberal - more than 50 points
Moderate - more than 45 points
Democratic Conservative - more than 40 points
Fascist/Authoritarian - fewer than 35 points
Far Right - fewer than 25 points

7. What is meant by single-party state? What would this look like in
the US?
Pick a political ideology. How would you maintain single-party
control? How might the opposition be handled to insure it?

8. Your group has been assigned one objective we will study.
Use the internet to make a poster with words and phrases that illustrate historical
examples in which leaders and parties achieved the objective.
Leaders/States:
Stalin
Peron
Hitler
Mao
Nasser
Pol Pot
North Korea
Argentina
……