From “Defending Democracy from its Christian Enemies” by David P. Gushee
Political authoritarianism can, in theory, come from the right or the left of the political spectrum. It is interesting that in polarized lands today, including the United States, both left and right accuse each other of authoritarian and antidemocratic tendencies. Check the best-seller list in the politics category any given day to see books in which both conservatives and liberals in the United States accuse each other of authoritarian designs. And history certainly offers plenty of evidence of authoritarian regimes both left and right.
Journalist and historian Anne Applebaum, who writes extensively about authoritarianism, argues that though authoritarian impulses can be seen on both sides, the political authoritarianism today “operating inside governments…[and] guiding important political parties” is mainly found on the right. She documents her claims with reference to Poland, in which she is a citizen (along with the United States), and several other nations. I find her research persuasive.