The #1 NYT BESTSELLER A personal and urgent examination of Fascism in the twentieth century and how its legacy shapes today's world, written by one of America's most admired public servants, the first woman to serve as U.S. secretary of state. "There is priceless wisdom on every page." Kirkus Starred review A Fascist, observes Madeleine Albright, 'is someone who claims to speak for a whole nation or group, is utterly unconcerned with the rights of others, and is willing ...
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The #1 NYT BESTSELLER A personal and urgent examination of Fascism in the twentieth century and how its legacy shapes today's world, written by one of America's most admired public servants, the first woman to serve as U.S. secretary of state. "There is priceless wisdom on every page." Kirkus Starred review A Fascist, observes Madeleine Albright, 'is someone who claims to speak for a whole nation or group, is utterly unconcerned with the rights of others, and is willing to use violence and whatever other means are necessary to achieve the goals he or she might have.' The twentieth century was defined by the clash between democracy and Fascism, a struggle that created uncertainty about the survival of human freedom and left millions of innocent people dead. Given the horrors of that experience, one might expect the world to reject the spiritual successors to Hitler and Mussolini should they arise in our era. In Fascism: A Warning, Madeleine Albright, draws on her own experiences as a child in war-torn Europe and her distinguished career as a diplomat to question that very assumption. Fascism, as Albright shows, is not only endured through the course of the twentieth century, but now presents a more virulent threat to international peace and justice than at any time since the end of World War II. The momentum toward democracy that swept the world when the Berlin Wall fell has gone into reverse. The United States, which has historically championed the free world, is led by a president who exacerbates popular divisions and heaps scorn on democratic institutions. In many countries, economic, technological and cultural factors are weakening the political centre and empowering the extremes of right and left. Contemporary leaders such as Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un are employing many of the same tactics used by Fascists in the 1920s and 30s. Fascism: A Warning is a book for our times that is relevant to all times. Written with wisdom by someone who has not only studied history but helped to shape it, this call to arms teaches us the lessons we must understand and the questions we must answer if we are to save ourselves from repeating the tragic errors of the past.
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If you wanted a clear definition of Fascism so you could better understand today's world, you'll be disappointed. Rather, Albright first drags the reader through a rehash of WWII's despots, then dictators since then. It isn't until the end of the book that she discusses the US Presidency of Trump. Finally on p. 245 she defines a fascist as "someone who claims to speak for a whole nation or group, is utterly unconcerned with the rights of others, and is willing to use violence and whatever other means are necessary to achieve the goals he or she might have."
She is an avid apologist for Democracy while avoiding in depth discussion of the ways it is failing to work in the USA. What does it say about democracy that Trump could be elected President, that Congress has abdicated much of its powers (particularly the War Powers Act), and that corporate interests carry more influence with Congress members than their own constituents? That would have been a truly interesting discussion by a person of vast experience.
A bright point is Albright's chapter on Immigration - a topic of great concern to many nations in the world as war, climate change and economic hardship propel millions of people to migrate from their countries of origin to other countries.
ludwig
May 28, 2019
The Most Dangerous Thing to a Democracy
As most of us know--the 2oth century was a century of the most dangerous wars that could have literally blown up the earth into smithereens and started with the fall of most of the world's monarchy's who had made some very bad decisions. Those decisions are now haunting the 21st century.
Among those who succeeded these monarchs were Hitler, Franco and Mussolini-- who were followed up by the horrors of Viet Nam, Mao, Cambodia and all those horrors of Africa as Idi Amen (sp?) who invited the Archbishop to dine with him-but the Archbishop failed to know that he was on the menu for the rest of the guests after he was murdered in the kitchen.
This book traces the fall of Governments and the rise and lost of democracies and the dangers that they pose for today under an irrational and unstable President Trump--who seems to want to be a dictator or absolute king and is so ignorant of the processes of law and so self centered and corrupt that he should not be President . I
It warns that the stupid people here who are so caught up in celebrity rather than reason are the same people who brought the foregoing dictators to power. America is in danger of loosing the ideals of its founders to people who seek to change it to their versions of democracy--that is they are the only ones who have power and the rest of the peons do not. It warns that when only Rich people can take the reins of Government and twists its laws to their making --- something is badly wrong.
The people can change this but unfortunately the holier than thou and others who are so in love with Trump that they are blind to see how terrible this man is and how dangerous he is and they are to the Constitution of the United States.--Trump is not only his worst enemy but also the worst enemy of the American Public.
The author, a former Secretary of State, has lived through the times of Hitler and had to flee from him, as a Jew, as well as Mussolini. Her words are a strong warning against all the things that Trump has done and is doing in office--like saying nothing to Korea about continuing to violate agreements not to shoot of missles of anykind.
If you are and Americana and love this country --this book is a not only a good read but a good lesson in Government that every one should know. Trump also has some far out off the cliff followers who have actively advised him to turn this country into a fascist country which Trump has subscribed to.
