[zarzavat]

Authoritarianism often comes with a good reason, in a moment of crisis, such as war, ethnic tensions, etc. The problem is getting rid of it once the crisis abates. Power tends to work on a ratchet.

If you are only looking for a cartoon villain and not, say, yourself, you might be caught flat footed when it arrives at your door.

[knownjorbist]

Okay, but this example doesn't really apply here as we've already seen what relatively limited restrictions were imposed rolled back across states and localities to varying degrees. It doesn't have to be so dramatic.