Geopolitics

This may be the strongest case for authoritarianism:

https://www.noahpinion.blog/p/how-liberal-democracy-might-lose

Basically: the war for people's hearts and minds has no stable equilibrium except local hegemony of one dominant elite, much like (and for the same reasons as) what Hobbes pointed out for regular war.

Very few have the ability to be free and liberal.
Humans fear freedom in its true sense.
They can't comprehend it and fear the unknown.
The reason why organised religions and authoritarian regimes have thrived.