How Fascism Works

ΓÇ£No single book is as relevant to the present moment.ΓÇ¥ΓÇöClaudia Rankine,author of Citizen ΓÇ£One of the defining books of the decade.ΓÇ¥ΓÇöElizabeth Hintonauthor of From the War on Poverty to the War on Crime NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW EDITORSΓÇÖ CHOICE ΓÇó With a new preface ΓÇó Fascist politics are running rampant in America todayΓÇöand spreading around the world. A Yale philosopher identifies the ten pillars of fascist politicsand charts their horrifying rise and deep history. As the child of refugees of World War II Europe and a renowned philosopher and scholar of propagandaJason Stanley has a deep understanding of how democratic societies can be vulnerable to fascism: Nations donΓÇÖt have to be fascist to suffer from fascist politics. In factfascismΓÇÖs roots have been present in the United States for more than a century. Alarmed by the pervasive rise of fascist tactics both at home and around the globeStanley focuses here on the structures that unite themlaying out and analyzing the ten pillars of fascist politicsΓÇöthe language and beliefs that separate people into an ΓÇ£usΓÇ¥ and a ΓÇ£them.ΓÇ¥ He knits together reflections on historyphilosophysociologyand critical race theory with stories from contemporary HungaryPolandIndiaMyanmarand the United Statesamong other nations. He makes clear the immense danger of underestimating the cumulative power of these tacticswhich include exploiting a mythic version of a nationΓÇÖs past; propaganda that twists the language of democratic ideals against themselves; anti-intellectualism directed against universities and experts; law and order politics predicated on the assumption that members of minority groups are criminals; and fierce attacks on labor groups and welfare. These mechanisms all build on one anothercreating and reinforcing divisions and shaping a society vulnerable to the appeals of authoritarian leadership. By uncovering disturbing patterns that are as prevalent today as everStanley reveals that the stuff of politicsΓÇöcharged by rhetoric and mythΓÇöcan quickly become policy and reality. Only by recognizing fascists politicshe arguesmay we resist its most harmful effects and return to democratic ideals. ΓÇ£With unsettling insight and disturbing clarityHow Fascism Works is an essential guidebook to our current national dilemma of democracy vs. authoritarianism.ΓÇ¥ΓÇöWilliam Jelani Cobbauthor of The Substance of Hope