Our emotions are high as they should be. Anger, grief, and anxiety are all very natural reactions to the anxiety-provoking situation were are in; one in which we have already lost so much, and may soon lose much more. But as the contours of our struggle are changing, we will need to be careful about how we channel our emotions and take action in this new environment, mapping out paths for ourselves that will keep us safer while also reacting to the many possible scenarios that we may be faced with as authoritarian power asserts itself more aggressively.
The following recommendations were drawn from the experiences of freedom fighters that have survived and even defeated authoritarianism around the world. Consider adapting them to your local situations, and, remember, that as repression grows greater, the quality of our relationships with others will become more important relative to the quantity of our relationships. Build community, hold your trusted allies close, and don’t obey in advance.
Recommendations:
1. Build Trusted, Small-Scale Affinity Groups
Why: In high-risk environments, small, tight-knit groups offer safety, adaptability, and accountability.
How:
Keep group membership small and based on trust.
Avoid centralized leadership to reduce vulnerability to infiltration.
Use informal communication channels and low-tech strategies to avoid surveillance.
2. Focus on Mutual Aid and Community Support
Why: Providing tangible support to vulnerable neighbors builds trust and solidarity, creating a foundation for resistance.
How:
Organize community kitchens, food banks, or shared gardens to address food insecurity and to create a greater degree of independence from oligarchs and authoritarian politicians.
Provide resources like childcare, elder care, or transportation for those marginalized by right-wing policies.
Offer quiet support to those targeted by local far-right actors, such as LGBTQ+ individuals, immigrants, or activists.
Politicize care giving, maintenance of the commons, and first responder services in the context of building community resilience and independence.
3. Establish Discreet Legal and Safety Networks
Why: Legal aid and safety measures protect vulnerable individuals from harm or harassment.
How:
Set up legal defense funds and provide "know your rights" training tailored to local laws.
Create rapid response networks to mobilize support when individuals are targeted by law enforcement or violent authoritarian groups.
Identify sympathetic lawyers, clergy, or local officials who can act as allies or provide safe spaces.
4. Use Art and Culture to Subtly Challenge Authoritarian Narratives
Why: Art and storytelling can inspire resistance and foster community cohesion without overtly provoking confrontation.
How:
Support local artists, musicians, and writers creating work that fosters solidarity and challenges extremist ideologies.
Use symbols, murals, or small public installations to quietly spread pro-democracy values.
Share stories of resilience and hope through local networks, zines, or online forums.
5. Leverage Faith and Community-Based Institutions
Why: Religious and civic organizations can provide cover and legitimacy for resistance efforts in areas where authoritarianism has been normalized.
How:
Partner with faith leaders committed to justice and equality to organize community events or offer sanctuary.
Use churches or other neutral community spaces for discreet gatherings or mutual aid efforts.
Emphasize shared values of compassion and dignity to build bridges with moderate community members.
6. Develop Secure Communication Strategies
Why: Surveillance and infiltration by law enforcement or vigilante authoritarian actors are significant risks.
How:
Use secure, encrypted communication tools (like Signal) for sensitive conversations.
Rely on low-tech options like word-of-mouth, handwritten notes, or face-to-face meetings when feasible.
Avoid social media for organizing; focus instead on secure, closed networks.
7. Prioritize Resilience Over Visibility
Why: Open protests or direct challenges to entrenched power can lead to violent backlash in rural areas with far-right dominance, and can expose leaders and organizations to authoritarian leadership, making them targets for increasing repression.
How:
Focus on quiet, long-term relationship-building instead of public displays of resistance.
Avoid direct confrontation with law enforcement or armed groups; instead, work to subtly undermine their influence through community-building that build resiliency and trust, and through non-cooperation.
Use slow, strategic campaigns that build power over time without drawing unnecessary attention.
8. Educate and Empower Quietly
Why: Building knowledge within the community prepares people to resist disinformation and authoritarian tactics.
How:
Host discreet workshops on media literacy, nonviolent resistance, and community organizing.
Share resources on how to counter propaganda and engage with moderate neighbors who might be swayed by extremism.
Develop youth programs focused on critical thinking, civic engagement, and democratic values.
9. Build Alliances Beyond Local Borders
Why: Isolated rural communities benefit from connecting with regional and national allies.
How:
Link with broader anti-authoritarian networks for resources, training, and mutual support.
Partner with urban groups that can provide material aid or amplify rural voices in larger movements.
Create safe channels for exiled or at-risk activists to continue contributing to resistance efforts from outside the community.
10. Stay Adaptive and Flexible
Why: Authoritarian environments are unpredictable, and rigid plans are easily disrupted.
How:
Be prepared to shift tactics based on new threats or opportunities.
Keep resistance strategies varied, combining mutual aid, advocacy, and quiet defiance.
Emphasize the long game—building democratic norms and values incrementally over time.
One Last Word
By focusing on mutual aid, small-scale organizing, and the quiet cultivation of democratic values, anti-authoritarian groups can build a foundation for long-term change without putting themselves or their communities in unnecessary danger. Resistance in these contexts isn’t about dramatic gestures—it’s about survival, resilience, persistence, and the joy of building with others and creating deep connections. The denser our networks of relationships, the stronger and less isolated we are, and the stronger and less isolated we are, the more creative and effective we can be.