Dictatorships are built on narratives. To stop them one must break their narrative, which is an iterative process—they’ll change the narrative to explain away new developments, but if you force them to keep making changes faster than their adherents can absorb them, their shared reality will fall apart.

after all other options are exhausted civil disobedience is the only thing left

examples would include handing about abortion pills in illegal states

A year ago I was unemployed and single. My answer then would have been considerably different than now. I'm much happier with my life but the world is now much worse off and I'm currently struggling to reconcile my radical progressive views with the desire for a comfortable life. I'm still strongly of the opinion that our society (in the US at least) is beyond repair, but I'm less eager to see the reset button pressed. I'm fortunate to be in a blue state (though like all blue states, it gets real red outside the city limits), so my plan at the moment is to pretend the federal government doesn't exist.

Nice try FBI

In my opinion, it depends on the kind of dictatorship and your status of power. I assume that you're an average US american looking at the election rn - then there isn't really anything we can do here. The system is simply too strong, and Donald Trump has too much institutional authority to be stopped.

However, I ask you to keep in mind that dictatorship isn't an authoritarian monolith and that we as common citizens have a possibility to influence and undermine authoritarian governments. Nazi Germany immediately comes to mind; many citizens disobeyed the government, may have leaked information or sabotaged important projects, even into the highest ranks (Stauffenberg and Schindler are prime examples). A dictatorship is only as effective as the bearers of power in a certain region. For example, police officers, but also common citizens (just keep in mind that a significant amount of Germans provided shelter for Jewish people).

It seems from my perspective that the authoritarian train cannot be stopped. So I'd do my best now to prepare for what is to come. Educate yourself about the key political players in your concrete region, if you decide to stay. Understand who holds the essential components of power - the council, the police officers, school district. Who supplies the common goods? Especially local producers often are connected strongly to the people and can be a major influence in the region. With this knowledge, you will be able to in turn exercise influence yourself and be able to help yourself and people who will be victims of Project 2025. We have a certain strength here - we know what it coming. Many people don't. Use this knowledge for the good. Even if you cannot stop a "global" transition to the authoritarian regime which is to come, you can mitigate its effects on the local community by participating and influencing the bearers of decisions.

I hope it makes sense. If you disagree, feel free to reply - I'd love to get more input on this topic. If any further questions arise, don't hesitate to ask :)

At least 30,000,000 people protesting non violently for a year, hoping no war will erupt. This might help

You say that as if dictators, by their nature, aren't going to sneak up on us. The question, sadly, should be what we would do once one reveals themselves, and the answer to that is in a battle of wit VS law.

According to the german constitution germans are not only allowed but required to kill unelected heads of government.

Although I'm Swiss, I would do the same. Every Swiss person has to enter the Military and it's a societal contract that our militia is there to keep the democracy alive.

If you mean the current US election, absolutely nothing. Americans need to suffer at least for a short while to truly understand what they have done. Once the American people are willing to accept reason then any method of resistance from civil disobedience to revolution becomes acceptable.

Join the resistance. Evil must be opposed.

And when/how would you know it was time to do this thing you're ready to do?

I read the question as "why would you stop a transition to a dictatorship," and the answer to that is to stop a transition to a dictatorship. Like, duh.

But for real, I don't really have the answers. Things aren't that dire yet where I live, but the best time to start on mutual aid is yesterday - and the second best time is today.

I would like to think a lot of sacrifices for the sake of my "fellows".

Realistically some mild ineffective activism with a whole lot of hiding because I'm not responsible for the idiots that let the situation get there in the first place.

Nope, not today, glowie.

Dictatorships seem to hit the first stage through votes, so by the time that happens it usually means a majority are in favor of such a transition of power.

Don't think there is a way of changing it unless population that ushered it in changes.

I guess, it depends on the dictatorship. For example if it's the one being formed in the US currently, here are some ideas: https://theintercept.com/2024/11/14/trump-agenda-organize-protest-movement/

I wouldn't. I'd just move somewhere else.

Why? Because whatever I do to attempt to stop the transition will be much less effective on obtaining quality of life improvements for myself and my loved ones than moving somewhere else. And that's not even going into the risks of attempting to get between a potential dictator and their power.

Votes are individually irrelevant. Protests are ignored, even if massive. Opinions and relevant facts to change opinions are lost in a sea of extremely well funded narrative-affirming propaganda. Civil disobedience will get you nothing but legal trouble. Strikes are broken.

Let's be real. There is nothing that can be done, realistically, as an individual without an extraordinary amount of political capital, money or military influence.

Anything short of a huge chunk of the armed forces organizing an armed coup is completely irrelevant.

The only realistic solution is jumping ship.

Resign