I'm running a film series on Demagogues and Democracy as part of my intro course this semester. First up: Gabriel Over the White House (1933). A few observations (spoilers)
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First, a quick summary: After the president is inhabited (possessed?) by the angel Gabriel, he assumes dictatorial powers--dissolving Congress, declaring martial law--to end the Great Depression, root out organized crime, and usher in an era of perpetual peace.
The main theme of the film is that only the president can truly serve the people. The rest of the political system is controlled by self-serving and corrupt politicians. The constitutional system is an obstacle to action. The legal system protects criminals. All of this must go to save the US.
This movie came out in 1933. It's pro-New Deal and pro FDR. Radio plays a big role in the film as it gives the president a direct and unmediated connection to the public. It also has a lot of Lincoln imagery, the president as savior who dies for the country's sins.
All of this is to say, our present moment reflects a long process that elevated the president at the expense of Congress. In the process, presidents have cast the constitutional system, not as a check on their power, but as an obstacle to the "true" expression and fulfillment of the people's will.
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https://www-theatlantic-com.translate.goog/ideas/archive/2025/01/hitler-germany-constitution-authoritarianism/681233/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-US&_x_tr_pto=wapp&_x_tr_hist=true