Where Does Your Society Rank On The Despotism Scale? (VIDEO)

by Austin Petersen

A 1946 film produced by Encyclopedia Britannica Films presents a scale from democracy to despotism. The ten minute movie attempts to educate citizens on the tools and tactics used by tyranny to limit the freedom of individuals. Dr. Harold D. Lasswell of Yale, who was a professor of law and of political science at the time, narrates the film that shows patriotic Americans pledging allegiance, fading into the silhouette of a lynching. The message? It can happen here. 

The film describes the scale thusly:

“A careful observer can use a respect scale to find how many citizens get an even break. As a community moves towards despotism, respect is restricted to fewer people. A community is low on a respect scale, if common courtesy is withheld from large groups of people on account of their political attitudes, if people are rude to others because they think their wealth and position gives them that right, or because they don’t like a man’s race or his religion. Equal opportunity for all citizens to develop useful skills is one basis for rating a community on a respect scale. The opportunity to develop useful skills is important, but not enough. The equally important opportunity to put skills to use is a further test on a respect scale.”

How does your community rank on the despotism scale?


Austin Petersen is a homegrown Missourian with a lifelong passion for liberty. He grew up on a horse farm in Peculiar, Missouri and went on to attend Missouri State University, graduating with a degree in the Fine Arts. After developing a career in media in both New York City and Washington, D.C., he returned to Kansas City, MO, the city he now calls home. In 2016, Petersen appeared on the national stage as a candidate for president of the United States. He took second place in the crowded Libertarian primary behind Governor Gary Johnson and ahead of cyber security maverick John McAfee. During his campaign, Petersen earned many high-profile conservative endorsements, including Mary Matalin, Erick Erickson and Leon Wolf of RedState.com. Petersen also brings decades of professional experience in a wide variety of fields, from content production and media to business and political activism. He is the owner and chief executive of Stonegait LLC, a consulting firm specializing in photo and video services. He was also the director of production at FreedomWorks and an associate producer for Judge Andrew Napolitano’s show “Freedom Watch” on the Fox Business Network. Additionally, Petersen has a national following as a commentator and professional pundit. He is the founder of The Libertarian Republic, a powerful online news source for the public that receives an average of 1 million unique visits monthly and whose podcast, The Freedom Report, receives an average of one million monthly downloads. He is also a frequent contributor on television, appearing on Fox News, Fox Business, CNN, MSNBC and on dozens of local radio shows.

6 comments

Sandy November 7, 2013 at 9:43 pm

So they had it figured out almost 70 years ago….

Truth Happens November 7, 2013 at 10:57 pm

America would have already fallen into despotism had the Internet not existed. We’re on the cutting edge.

[By “cutting edge,” I mean “the edge” of the precipice. No Internet, and we roll in like pigs in a blanket. Fight all forms of poli-censorship and info-control.]

backell November 8, 2013 at 12:42 am

No, America survived over 200 years without the Internet. Having a cesspool for crackpots to stew their theories together doesn’t really save democracy, it just ruins discourse.

Steven Felsher November 7, 2013 at 11:48 pm

I don’t like that it places democracy opposite of despotism. Despotism can thrive in democracy. It’s called a tyranny of the majority.

Truth Happens November 8, 2013 at 5:45 pm

Some people fear the unrestricted flow of information. Keep your eye on them.

Raytheon November 8, 2013 at 8:12 pm

I dislike how “Democracy” is eerily close to “Socialism” in this video.

Democracy = Respect is shared, Power is shared, Economic Distribution is equal? I’m okay with the Information scale.

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