# Your historical analogy for the Trump era **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 26, 2019, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-historical-analogy-for-the-trump-era/842523 "2019-10-26T21:31:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chad\_Sudan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chad_sudan/32/4509_2.png) [@Chad\_Sudan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chad_Sudan)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2019, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-historical-analogy-for-the-trump-era/842523/1 "2019-10-26T21:31:22Z")
Many analogies have been proposed for the Trump era. (It’s been compared, for instance, to 1930s Europe, and to Watergate.) In trying to understand the events of the last three years, what historical comparisons do \*you \*think are most relevant and useful? And why? (You can single out just one particular aspect of the Trump administration if you like.) ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2019, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-historical-analogy-for-the-trump-era/842523/2 "2019-10-26T21:41:42Z")
[This comes to mind.](https://duckduckgo.com/?q=2001+ape+bone&t=ffsb&ia=videos&iax=videos&iai=strWmj-vZ88) ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2019, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-historical-analogy-for-the-trump-era/842523/3 "2019-10-26T21:44:54Z")
Moving from GD to IMHO. [/moderating] ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2019, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-historical-analogy-for-the-trump-era/842523/4 "2019-10-26T22:09:58Z")
Caligula, without the style. ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2019, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-historical-analogy-for-the-trump-era/842523/5 "2019-10-26T22:28:23Z")
Hopefully it plays out like: [“…You’ve done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?”](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_McCarthy#Army%E2%80%93McCarthy_hearings) ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2019, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-historical-analogy-for-the-trump-era/842523/6 "2019-10-26T23:29:35Z")
> [@K364](#): > > Hopefully it plays out like: > > [“…You’ve done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?”](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_McCarthy#Army%E2%80%93McCarthy_hearings) Invisible robot fish. Hey, ya ask a silly question… ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2019, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-historical-analogy-for-the-trump-era/842523/7 "2019-10-26T23:56:35Z")
My pick is Italy’s Silvio Berlusconi. Take a quick gander at [this Wikipedia page](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controversies_surrounding_Silvio_Berlusconi) and see if you don’t agree. This is a common comparison and I find it quite apt. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2019, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-historical-analogy-for-the-trump-era/842523/8 "2019-10-26T23:57:48Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Caligula, without the style. Good one. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2019, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-historical-analogy-for-the-trump-era/842523/9 "2019-10-27T01:21:44Z")
Without term limits, the Sun King reprised? ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2019, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-historical-analogy-for-the-trump-era/842523/10 "2019-10-27T01:42:34Z")
Bush 2.0, though GWB was more competent and had the 9/11 boost for his first 3 years, so more the latter part of his administration when we had constant scandals. ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2019, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-historical-analogy-for-the-trump-era/842523/11 "2019-10-27T02:09:36Z")
1930s Europe, and late Republic Rome, for the transition from elective political systems to populist demagogic dictatorships. ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2019, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-historical-analogy-for-the-trump-era/842523/12 "2019-10-27T03:48:18Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Caligula, without the style. This is what I’m hoping for. Yes, the western Roman Empire eventually collapsed, but they at least had emperors like Claudius, Trajan, and Hadrian after the travesty that was Caligula. I’d like to think we have some better presidents in store for our future as well. ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2019, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-historical-analogy-for-the-trump-era/842523/13 "2019-10-27T03:57:11Z")
> [@FlikTheBlue](#): > > This is what I’m hoping for. Yes, the western Roman Empire eventually collapsed, but they at least had emperors like Claudius, Trajan, and Hadrian after the travesty that was Caligula. I’d like to think we have some better presidents in store for our future as well. Yeah, if American democracy fails and its future lies under perpetual dictatorship, we can at least hope there’ll be a few good dictators along the way. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2019, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-historical-analogy-for-the-trump-era/842523/14 "2019-10-27T04:10:07Z")
Boss Hogg. Okay, it’s not a historical analogy but I think it fits the best. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2019, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-historical-analogy-for-the-trump-era/842523/15 "2019-10-27T05:02:53Z")
I remember hearing Saddam Husseins’ reign described as if the Corleone family had obtained political office. ---
**Author:** ![galen\_ubal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galen_ubal/32/4440_2.png) [@galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen_ubal)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2019, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-historical-analogy-for-the-trump-era/842523/16 "2019-10-27T05:06:39Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Caligula, without the style. First thing that came to my mind, also. The really weird movie version, with Malcolm McDowell. ---
**Author:** ![Lacunae\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lacunae\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lacunae_Matata)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2019, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-historical-analogy-for-the-trump-era/842523/17 "2019-10-27T05:12:31Z")
You know that one Hapsburb Spanish king with the protruding tongue? ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2019, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-historical-analogy-for-the-trump-era/842523/18 "2019-10-27T05:51:28Z")
[John Mulaney put it best,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhkZMxgPxXU) IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2019, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-historical-analogy-for-the-trump-era/842523/19 "2019-10-27T05:54:05Z")
Sulla offers some interesting parallels. [From Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulla): > [@](#): > > Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix (/ˈsʌlə/; c. 138 BC – 78 BC), known commonly as Sulla, was a Roman general and statesman. He had the distinction of holding the office of consul twice, as well as reviving the dictatorship. > … > Sulla played an important role in the long political struggle between the _Optimates_ and _Populares_ factions at Rome. He was a leader of the former, which sought to maintain the Senatorial supremacy against the social reforms advocated by the latter, headed by Marius. In a dispute over the command of the war against Mithridates, initially awarded to Sulla by the Senate but withdrawn as a result of Marius’s intrigues, Sulla marched on Rome in an unprecedented act and defeated Marius in battle. > … > He then revived the office of dictator, which had been inactive since the Second Punic War over a century before. He used his powers to purge his opponents, and reform Roman constitutional laws, in order to restore the primacy of the Senate and limit the power of the tribunes of the plebs. > … > Sulla’s military coup—ironically enabled by Marius’ military reforms that bound the army’s loyalty with the general rather than to the Republic—permanently destabilized the Roman power structure. Later leaders like Julius Caesar would follow his precedent in attaining political power through force. > … > Sulla is generally seen as having set the precedent for Caesar’s march on Rome and dictatorship. Cicero comments that Pompey once said “If Sulla could, why can’t I?”. Sulla’s example proved that it could be done, and therefore inspired others to attempt it; and in this respect, he has been seen as another step in the Republic’s fall. If history repeats, then it will not be Trump who establishes the first hereditary line of American dictators, but rather someone else following in the path that he’s beaten down. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2019, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-historical-analogy-for-the-trump-era/842523/20 "2019-10-27T07:14:39Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Caligula, without the style. I can see where you’re coming from, but the Republic was already long dead by the time Caligula was having his little bitch fit with the Senate. > [@Walken After Midnight](#): > > If history repeats, then it will not be Trump who establishes the first hereditary line of American dictators, but rather someone else following in the path that he’s beaten down. Yeah, that. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-historical-analogy-for-the-trump-era/842523.md?page=2)