Commentary & Analysis

Over the last century, millions have fled authoritarian regimes for the relative freedoms of the United States, but as authoritarianism arrives here, many Americans have found themselves unable to understand, accept, or push back against the new reality.

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Today, we bring you a conversation with two experts on life under authoritarianism: Tatyana Margolin and Yelena V Litvinov. Veterans of the Open Society Foundations, the George Soros-founded network promoting civil society across the globe, the pair now lead STROIKA, whose mission is to reverse the tide of rising authoritarianism by supporting resistance movements with fundraising and strategic advice, in the interest of building a resilient anti-authoritarian network.

As Donald Trump begins his second term, the nonprofit world is rightfully shoring up its defenses to protect immigrants, LGBTQI rights, reproductive freedoms, and basic civil liberties. Such efforts are crucial, but another tool of repression demands greater attention: the targeting of civil society itself, particularly by attacking the legal, financial, and communication infrastructure of nonprofits and their donors.

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Governments using this authoritarian playbook don’t need to shut down an organization or arrest activists to be successful. Audits, frivolous lawsuits, and endless paperwork can bring their work to a halt. They can be labeled foreign agents, terrorists, or extremists. Bank accounts can be frozen. Nonprofits can lose funding if their donors, intermediaries, and fiscal sponsors are targeted.

Reflecting on 2024, we are filled with both pride and a sense of urgency. As we approach STROIKA’s third anniversary, the importance of our mission — to build, resource, and connect anti-authoritarian movements globally — has never been more critical.

The US election outcome made clear that the lessons learned by our global partners are increasingly urgent and relevant for the United States.

In the final stretch of this tumultuous year, our message of hope remains as powerful as ever: it is possible to resist and preserve democratic space, even in the most seemingly impossible circumstances.

Explore our full end-of-year update, or click below for the text-only version.

Over the past year, STROIKA has worked closely with U.S. human rights and civil liberties groups, climate justice activists, and philanthropic donors to prepare for potential impacts of a Trump re-election.

What we’ve found is consistent: organizations, regardless of size, are woefully underprepared for potential targeting. This readiness gap is critical — and one we must address now.

On the Kettering Foundation's The Stakes series, Yelena Litvinov spoke with Harvard Law professor Alan Jenkins, creator of the 1/6 graphic novel series, about the role of arts, culture, creativity, and freedom of speech in defending democracy.

‍Watch the conversation, moderated by Brad Rourke.

Tatyana Margolin took the stage at the Vital Voices Anti-Authoritarian Summit in Warsaw, with women leaders from around the world.

She led a series of interactive workshops that culminated in the release of The Anti-Authoritarian Playbook: Recommendations from Women Leaders for Women Leaders in the Fight for Democracy.

STROIKA traveled to the SKOLL World Forum in Oxford, presenting a session on Empowering Civic Resilience: Strategies for Action in Repression.

We led a global audience in working through real-life case studies of how activists can persevere and advance their work in even the most difficult conditions, showcasing practical strategies for finding hope and solidarity in the face of seemingly unbeatable odds.

Russia’s latest anti-LGBTQ+ ruling is a stark warning to all those witnessing attacks on marginalized groups in their own countries. The escalation from homophobic and transphobic rhetoric to the use of an extremism law illustrates that anti-LGBTQ+ policies are simply a political tool. Targeting the queer community, or any marginalized group, is an easy move from the authoritarian playbook to suppress dissent and consolidate power.

One can reliably gauge the latest geopolitical upheaval by who is sleeping on the red pullout couch in my New York apartment.

I barely had a chance to grieve the gut-wrenching news of Hamas’ pogrom on October 7, 2023, before the familiar drums of war were beating. On October 11, the Israeli Defense Force tweeted, “You either stand with Israel or you stand with terrorism.” It echoed George W. Bush’s nearly identical phrasing just weeks after the 9/11 attacks.

I felt transported back to September 11, 2001, in New York City: first was the shock and pain of loss, and then the immediate anger and disbelief as collective grief was used to justify not only wars abroad but also domestic crackdowns on civil liberties in the US. This ambiguous “war on terror” included increased surveillance codified into law by the Patriot Act; the overpolicing of Muslim communities; and the horrific kidnapping, detention, and torture of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay and other secret facilities globally. Over 20 years later, many of these wrongs have not been righted and have become an accepted part of the American political landscape.