The Ethics of Authoritarianism in Christian Perspective

Abstract

We look here at the characteristics of authoritarian government in the context of constitutional democracies and argue that its operative ethical system in public policy is egoism, with its supporters constituting a collective ego complicit in the undemocratic and Machiavellian practices used to sustain power and the authority of leadership to impose its vision of the good on all of society. Basic features of the Christian ethic of agape and its theological foundations provide striking contrasts with the ethics and practices of authoritarian government, providing resources for the public witness of the Christian community.