1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism: Patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, songs, and flags are seen everywhere.
2. Disdain for Human Rights: The people are encouraged to look the other way or even approve of torture, summary executions, assassinations, long incarcerations of prisoners, etc.
3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause: A patriotic frenzy is summoned over the "need" to eliminate a perceived common threat or foe: ethnic or religious minorities; liberals; communists; socialists, terrorists, etc.
4. Supremacy of the Military: Even with widespread domestic problems, the military is given a disproportionate amount of government funding, and the domestic agenda is neglected. Soldiers and military service are glamorized.
5. Rampant Sexism: Traditional gender roles are made more rigid. Divorce, abortion and homosexuality are suppressed and the state is represented as the ultimate guardian of the family institution.
6. Controlled Mass Media: The media may be directly controlled; but more often, indirectly controlled by regulation, or sympathetic media spokespeople and executives. Censorship, especially in war time, is very common.
7. Obsession with National Security.
8. Religion and Government are Intertwined: The most common religion in said nation is used as a tool to manipulate public opinion. Religious rhetoric is common from government leaders, even when the major tenets of the religion are diametrically opposed to its policies or actions.
9. Corporate Power is Protected: The business aristocracy are often the ones who put the government leaders into power, creating a mutually beneficial business/government relationship and power elite.
10. Labor Power is Suppressed: Labor unions are demonized, suppressed, or eliminated entirely.
11. Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts: Open hostility to higher education, and academia is promoted. Academics are censored or even arrested. Free expression in the arts and letters is openly attacked.
12. Obsession with Crime and Punishment: The police are given almost limitless power to enforce laws. The people are encouraged to overlook police abuses and even forego civil liberties in the name of patriotism. There is often a national police force with virtually unlimited power.
13. Rampant Cronyism and Corruption: Friends and associates of the regime appoint each other to government posts and use power to protect friends from accountability. National resources and even treasures are often appropriated or even outright stolen by said officials.
14. Fraudulent Elections: Elections are either a complete sham, or manipulated by smear campaigns against or even assassination of opposition candidates, use of legislation to control voting numbers or political district boundaries, and manipulation of the media. The judiciary often colludes in the control of elections.
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