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On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century [2017] by Timothy Snyder
Timothy Snyder, is a prodigious and distinguished historian of Central Europe, Eastern Europe and the Holocaust. His 2010 Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin was celebrated as a ground-breaking work on tyrants. In 2017, in the aftermath of Trump’s election, he published the pamphlet On Tyranny. Drawing on his histories of fascism and Stalinism, Snyder give us two to four page lessons to be learned about how to resist tyranny. They are most appropriate for the times in which we live. Here are a few brief excerpts.
“Do not obey in advance. Most of the power of authoritarianism is freely given. In times like these, individuals think ahead about what a more repressive government will want, and then offer themselves without being asked. A citizen who does this is teaching power what it can do.”
“Defend institutions. It is institutions that help us to preserve decency. They need our help as well. Do not speak of ‘our institutions’ unless you make them yours by acting on their behalf. Institutions do not protect themselves. They fall one after the other unless each is defended from the beginning. So choose an institution you care about -a court, a newspaper, a law, a labor union [a library]- and take its side.”
“Beware the one-party state. The parties that remade states and suppressed rivals were not omnipotent from the start. They exploited a historic moment to make political life impossible for their opponents. So support the multi-party system and defend the rules of democratic elections. Vote in local and state elections while you can. Consider running for office.”
“Take responsibility for the face of the world. The symbols of today enable the reality of tomorrow. Notice the swastikas and other signs of hate. Do not look away, and do not get used to them. Remove them yourself and set an example for others to do so.”
“Be reflective if you must be armed. If you carry a weapon in public service, may God bless you and keep you. But know that the evils of the past involved policemen and soldiers finding themselves, one day, doing irregular things. Be ready to say no.”
“Stand out. Someone has to. It is easy to follow along. It can feel strange to do or say something different. But without that unease, there is no freedom. Remember Rosa Parks. The moment you set an example, the spell of the status quo is broken, and others will follow.”
“Make eye contact and small talk. This is not just polite. It is part of being a citizen and a responsible member of society. It is also a way to stay in touch with your surroundings, break down social barriers, and understand who you should and should not trust. If we enter a culture of denunciation, you will want to know the psychological landscape of your daily life.”
This book is a guidebook that has many wise things to say about our lives in the coming years.
I commend it to you and urge you to read it with friends and neighbors.
By Louis Segal. Louis was born in Oakland, raised his family in Oakland, dropped out of school in 1968, worked many jobs over the decades, dropped back into school in the 80s, got a Ph.D. in history, taught as an adjunct professor from 1993 to 2015. Retired but not withdrawn.
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