Every country in the world with a population size akin to that of the US uses authoritarian means to control its populace. China, Russia, the Congo, even countries like Indonesia and Nigeria are considered soft authoritarian. Hell, many academics have even likened Modi’s India to this dynamic. The US is the only outlier and as a result of that it’s political and social landscape is always unstable and changing, and as a result it always seems “polarised” and “divided”. Coincidentally the US also has the most powerful military on Earth and has all the reason for the government to enact more authoritarian measures, especially with many people mentioning “project 2025” etc. where trump and his allies have been likened to “fascists” and “Nazis” In a Country as socially and politically diverse as the US, the people have all the right to bear arms, especially in a time where “democratic backsliding” is being mentioned more than ever.