If authoritarian illiberalism is the future that the right (and the Republican Party by extension) has in store for the United States, then we can hardly frame a Cold War against China as some sort of great and titanic conflict between liberal democracy and autocracy, now can we? Not if you have lost faith in democracy and classical liberalism here at home as they clearly have. In which case I can only conclude this is solely a cynical realpolitik move to keep a rising Great Power down with no redeeming features to it, or this is basically a race war on a global scale. Neither of which I want anything to do with.
I’ve been saying this since 2017. This type of future isn’t really a future. In a way, it’s sort of liberating. It put you in a position to bargain. Once the American right, amongst others, have decided they must not only stand out from their broader civilization but actually try to destroy it, there is no reason for any smart, rationally self-interested, and ambitious member of their society to be loyal to them because they’re the “good guys”. They will have to compete for the hearts and minds of the people from a level playing field with the Chinese/Communists.
This is truly a future where it will be decided whether a giant douche or turd sandwich will rule the world. I don’t think I am the only one who is going to be asking “what’s in it for me?” and pledging my support to those who can provide better security and opportunities for my family.
If you can’t choose between right and wrong, you should at least be able to choose between good and bad in a Classical Greek sense.