In futurist movies, the US has often fallen under some kind of tyrannical government — see, for instance, The Handmaid’s Tale.

Americans see themselves as deeply attached to freedom, but polling data consistently reveals a minority with at least some authoritarian inclinations.

A new Pew poll shows that:

• Only 31% of Americans think that torture is never justified; 42% say that it is often or sometimes justified. Sixty-five percent of Republicans say that torture is often or sometimes justified.
• Half of all Americans think that government wiretaps of suspected terrorists without court approval is “generally right;” 74% of Republicans say this.

These opinions are based on fear of attack; what more would be deemed allowable in more extreme circumstances?