I’ve spent a lot of time reading history, activism studies, and recent case law, trying to understand what actions people have taken when democratic institutions were under threat — and which of those actions succeeded. The more I dug, the more I realized that although the situation is urgent, there are things we can do that do work. If you feel like ordinary tools are failing, that’s because in many cases, they are — but we don’t have to be powerless. Here are seven concrete ways we can resist authoritarian or fascist drift now — based on evidence, history, and examples from states, civil society, and academic research.

1. Organize Mass Nonviolent Civil Resistance

I believe nonviolence is not only more ethical, but more effective. Erica Chenoweth’s research (“Why Civil Resistance Works”) shows that nonviolent movements are roughly twice as likely as violent ones to achieve fundamental change and often better at preserving democracy in the long run. Harvard Magazine

What I can do:

• Build (or join) broad, inclusive organizations that cut across race, class, gender, geography. Movements with diverse participation are harder to demonize and easier to sustain.
• Coordinate strikes, boycotts, or slowdowns (at workplaces, universities, public services) to make authoritarian measures expensive for the regime to enforce.
• Use civil disobedience in a disciplined way: actions that disrupt business as usual but avoid giving a pretext for mass repression.

2. Strengthen State & Local Autonomy Through Interstate Compacts

We don’t have to wait for federal action. States acting together can build power, create protections, and resist federal overreach.

Evidence & examples:

• States have used interstate compacts to coordinate on public health during crises, especially seen in the Western States Pact during COVID-19, when governors of several western states negotiated together on reopening, protections, and the supply of medical equipment. Wikipedia
• Research from UC Davis and others shows interstate organizations/compacts can help fill policy gaps when federal regulation weakens, whether in the environment, healthcare, or scientific research. UC Davis Law Review

What I can do:

• Advocate in my state for interstate compacts on voting rights, climate protections, and civil liberties.
• Organize or join coalitions across state lines: policy think tanks, NGOs, civil rights groups, businesses.
• Use state constitutions and legislative processes to codify protections so that compacts aren’t just temporary political bargains but backed by law.

3. Build (or join) & Protect Independent Civil Society Institutions

Strong media, independent courts, civil rights orgs — these are the lifelines of democracy.

What research tells us:

• Case studies from “Confronting Authoritarianism and Organizing Resistance: Case Studies and Lessons Learned” show that when independent organizations document abuses, defend vulnerable communities, and mobilize legally, they often act as early warning systems and sources of resilience. The Commons
• Also, scholars warn that once courts, media, or civil society are captured, authoritarian drift accelerates. Resistance is always easier before total control. Center for American Progress+1

What I can do:

• Support independent journalism — donate, subscribe, share trustworthy outlets.
• Help fund or join watchdog organizations that track court abuses, voting suppression, and executive overreach.
• Create or support legal aid networks to defend people subject to unjust laws or administrative overreach.

4. Election Defense and Voting Infrastructure

Free and fair elections are still the foundation. Losing those means losing everything.

What works:

• Ensuring strong local election boards staffed with people committed to integrity.
• Training poll workers and election monitors to guard against disenfranchisement and vote manipulation.
• Advocating for laws that protect access: mail-in voting, early voting, same-day registration, and restoring voting rights for formerly incarcerated people.

What I can do:

• Volunteer as a poll worker or monitor.
• Donate to or support nonprofit groups that fight voter suppression (e.g. legal efforts, community awareness).
• Push my state legislator to pass voting protections, oppose laws that restrict absentee ballots or voter rolls unjustly.

5. Cultivate Local Power and Parallel Systems

When federal institutions weaken, local and community systems often can sustain life and dignity if we build (or join) them now.

Real-world precedents:

• Mutual aid networks (especially in marginalized or rural communities) have proven resilient during crises — distributing food, medicine, legal help.
• Local governance structures (city councils, school boards, county prosecutors) often stay more accountable and accessible — winning them means building real power.

What I can do:

• Organize or join mutual aid/resource sharing networks in my community.
• Run for local office or support candidates who promise to defend rights, transparency, and community welfare.
• Push local governments to adopt inclusive policies (e.g., sanctuary status, housing protections, police accountability).

6. Legal Strategy & Litigation

Courts are imperfect, but they are still one of the few tools left in many places where the rule of law has not yet completely eroded.

What research shows:

• Lawsuits challenging executive overreach, discrimination, or abusive state actions have yielded meaningful wins, especially when backed by good documentation, coalitions, and public pressure.
• The study How Democracies Defend Themselves Against Authoritarianism emphasizes strengthening judicial independence and ensuring courts are functional, transparent, and able to check power. Center for American Progress

What I can do:

• Support or join legal defense funds.
• Document abuses carefully: record, collect testimonies, and archive public statements.
• Use amicus briefs, impact litigation, and challenges in state Supreme Courts when possible — sometimes state courts are more accessible than federal.

7. Narrative, Culture & Education Work

Ideas matter. If people believe democracy is possible, if stories of resistance are circulated, if civic norms live in culture, that builds immunity.

What I’ve learned:

• In many countries, resistance movements that tell stories (through art, media, social media) about historical injustice, hope, and shared belonging tend to sustain better.
• Educating people about how democracy erodes — gradual steps, authoritarian tactics — helps them recognize danger before it’s too late.

What I can do:

• Produce, share, and promote content (articles, videos, podcasts) that highlight both history and modern resistance.
• Teach or facilitate workshops or discussion groups in communities, schools, churches, etc., about democracy, rights, and how power works.
• Amplify cultural voices (artists, musicians, poets) who challenge authoritarian ideas; support and protect them.

Do you have your own thoughts? Let us know in the comments! Or join our community of successful creators on Patreon!

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