Lessons from Isherwood: Warning Signs of Authoritarianism and Moral Erosion

Christopher Isherwood wrote his novel Goodbye to Berlin, which later became the movie Cabaret, in 1939. Isherwood’s novel depicts his beloved Berlin transforming from a libertarian’s delight to becoming prey to Hitler’s boot boys. His work demonstrates how a city’s decadence quickly turns into a place where tyranny and fear dominate. The licentiousness of the city’s underground became the target of those who claimed moral superiority. Their method of control involved complete loyalty to the Führer. One man dominated their thoughts and actions, and they believed the salvation of their country lay in following his beliefs.

Ultimately, his dictatorship led to six million Jews being murdered. Gypsies, homosexuals, and anyone who didn’t meet the criteria of this new Germany were exterminated. Germany was made “great again” at a bloody price. Isherwood captured perfectly how one man can change a nation. His novel was a warning to us all: if we don’t learn from history, we will repeat the same mistakes.

It’s easy to convince ourselves that we’re not so easily misled, yet the signs of drifting toward dictatorship are right in front of us. We face a time when a power-hungry man can and will destroy the fundamental principles of our democracy. No matter what is thrown at him, he seems to evade what most of us think of as justice. He proves that if you have enough money, you are treated differently. You can be a misogynist, a racist, an aspiring dictator, and still find yourself elected to the highest seat of government.

It doesn’t matter that you’re the first president to be impeached twice, have no experience in governing, or be convicted of a felony (or 34 of them)—you can still be eligible to lead a country that claims to be morally upright. “Truth and justice” in the American way is no longer determined by a moral compass but by those who want to cleanse the country of those they find distasteful.

Ironically, the “moral majority” embraces a man who enjoys the pleasures of sex workers, benefits from tax evasion, and shows little regard for true Christianity. For them, what’s more important is how this man can serve their purpose. Instead of drawing on the teachings of Christ, they prefer to use the Old Testament to justify their vote. Their theology is fluid, shifting based on their goals. Despite defending the Bible, they overlook his worst offenses as long as they can get what they want from him.

This sort of pragmatism isn’t what we’d expect from people of faith. There is no grace in advocating a gospel that discriminates against others. You cannot pair the actions of those who think this way with Christ—it simply doesn’t work.

Recent changes in Ireland have shown us that religious institutions can be instruments of abuse. The Catholic Church has been forced to reckon with its failure to hold accountable those who misused their power. For years, the Church knew of the crimes committed by priests and refused to act. They turned a blind eye, relocated offenders, and blamed victims. But times have changed. The election of Pope Francis heralds a different kind of leadership—a sign of hope for many. He has made the Church face up to its lack of accountability. Whether his attempts to rectify the wrongs will have a lasting impact remains to be seen.

When religion becomes a tool for discrimination, it destroys the best of who we are. Once it begins to dictate what we read, think, or who we love, we can be sure it will support someone like the former president of America. It’s astonishing how this man can lie and distort facts without any challenge from his base. He can incite violence without criticism from those loyal to him. Even when he ridicules and defames his own supporters, they stand by him.

The Republican Party has abandoned its former principles to validate a liar and a cheat. They don’t mind the erosion of human rights, as long as it gets them into positions of power. What was once an honorable institution, the Supreme Court, has also been exposed as a tool for the Republican Party. When a Justice accepts money or gifts from a wealthy billionaire, they lose their impartiality. When a Justice flies a flag supporting a right-wing group, they lose their trustworthiness.

The changes we are witnessing in the highest levels of government are troubling. We shouldn’t allow the criminal actions of a former president to become the standard for normal behavior. Once normalized, these corrupt actions corrode moral sensibility, and the worst of our humanity emerges. Isherwood saw how one man made the world an evil place. Could it happen again in our time? Yes! We are already seeing the signs.

We have a convicted felon running for president, whose mission is retribution. He will seek revenge on those who opposed him, rewriting the sayings of Jesus to justify an eye-for-an-eye approach. If he is elected again, we’ve sealed our fate. The rot has set in, and worse will follow if we do not act now.