| (Copyright 02-05-2025) by Joseph Baity (Charlotte, North Carolina) |
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 A peculiar and troubling trend is developing among the younger generations within the U.K. and the U.S. as they enter the second quarter of the twenty-first century. Generation Z (aka Gen Z) and a significant slice of the Millennial generation seem willing to forgo many, if not most, of the rights and liberties inherent in modern, liberal democracy to ensure more efficient governance and greater personal safety. Some observers consider this the beginning of a paradigm shift in the current political world order. A decade ago, Millennials called for less free speech—within democracy—in return for safe spaces at school, work, and play. Today, Gen Z may opt for less democracy in favor of authoritarian rule. According to a study by the U.K.’s Channel 4, over half of Gen Z, ages 13-27, believe their nation would be in better hands with a ruler who could bypass the democratically designed government. Approximately one-third would prefer even military rule. In an article entitled “Gen Z is Embracing Dictatorships,” Newsweek.com reports on another recent study (by Redfield & Wilton Strategies) of 1,500 Americans aged 18-25, revealing that 40% . . . agreed that “rule by a strong leader, where a strong leader can make decisions without interference from the legislature or from the courts” would be a good system of government for the U.S., versus 27% who thought it would be bad. The poll also found younger Americans are the most prepared to give up “some democratic powers” if it results in more effective government and are less likely to think military rule would be bad for the country. In the past, social scientists claimed the Millennials’ desires for trigger-free environments reflected the manner of the “helicopter” parenting they received from risk-averse parents. Today, these social scientists claim that Gen Z does not know who to trust, feeling enormous disillusionment with the current world order. “The Next Generation Is Ready to Accept the Antichrist—Here’s Why,” published on January 30, 2025, by ProphecyNewswatch.com, explains: Gen Z does not know who to trust. They see government as incompetent, the media as manipulative, and the church as compromised. They have been raised in a world of political chaos, economic instability, and moral relativism, where truth is no longer absolute but self-defined. Their trust in traditional democratic systems has been shattered, leaving them vulnerable to the idea that only a strong, decisive leader—one unrestrained by laws, opposition, or due process—can bring order. If that means letting go of democracy and embracing authoritarian rule, so be it. From author Yalda T. Uhis on TheConversation.com: After many years of partisan politics, increasingly divisive language, finger-pointing, and inflammatory speech have contributed to an environment of fear and uncertainty, affecting not just political dynamics but also the priorities and perceptions of young people. This was brought into sharp relief through the results of a recent survey my colleagues and I conducted with 1,644 young people across the U.S., ages 10 to 24. The study was not designed as a political poll but rather as a window into what truly matters to adolescents. We asked participants to rate the importance of 14 personal goals. These included classic teenage desires such as “being popular,” “having fun,” and “being kind.” None of these ranked as the top priority. Instead, the No. 1 answer was “to be safe.” With economic instability, school shootings, fear for their “marginalized” friends in the LGBT community, and perceived climate crises, today’s youth do not take safety for granted, as did prior generations. And just as the Great Depression affected societal concerns for economic security for decades, the fears of today’s younger generations will likely do the same. Interestingly, observers warn of a notable increase in power projection from the U.S. presidency. Editorialist Peggy Noonan’s “Trump and the Collapse of the Old Order” (Wall Street Journal, January 31, 2025), decried the recent uptick in presidential executive orders, bypassing Congress, since the Obama Administration: There’s a sense we’re living through times we’ll understand only in retrospect. But the collapse of the old international order and the break in America’s old domestic order are shaping this young century. Executive orders ignore the branch of government called Congress and work against its authority, its role in the republican drama. They give the impression we are a government of one branch. Doing all this habituates the public to the idea of authoritarianism, of rule by the strongman. (Emphasis ours.) Quoting again from “Gen Z is Embracing Dictatorships” (Newsweek.com): Speaking to Newsweek, Joel Westheimer, an expert in democratic ideals at the University of Ottawa, said youth discontent with American democracy is likely a response to increased partisanship and deadlock in Congress and the threat from climate change. Westheimer added: “The decline of commitments to democracy, especially among young people, keeps me up at night. It is not hyperbole to suggest that we are at a crossroads between democracy and autocracy for both America and many once-stable democracies around the globe.” Gen Z’s existential fears, dissatisfaction with democratic principles, desire for radical change, and willingness to compromise freedom and privacy for convenience and efficiency could open a door to a future of authoritarian rule. Just as in Hitler’s Germany after World War I or China under Mao, dictatorships often arise when the people call for a leader to fix and repair a crumbling society—to restore order—and to do so with haste. Could these troubling trends be a precursor that opens the door to the acceptance of a domineering and deceptive world leader (II Thessalonians 2:3-4, 8-11; Revelation 13; Daniel 7), such as many Christians expect the Antichrist of the end times to be? Regardless, all faithful followers of Christ should anticipate and beware of growing political and social instability, particularly among those peoples that make up what we refer to as the Israelitish world order, chief of whom reside in the U.S. and the U.K. (Genesis 49:22). ———————————————————————————————————- See Joseph B. Baity’s other articles at: Baity, Joseph B. – Church of God, Bismarck (church-of-god-bismarck.org) Reprinted with permission from: Church of the Great God https://www.cgg.org/ ———————————————————————————————————– |
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