A history of fascism highlighting how it often creeps in with men who’ve been legally elected. A warning that Albright had planned on writing regardless of who was president. A warning to help heat up people’s love of democracy. A warning that it could happen here. I’m not willing to bet it can’t happen here. Are you? ( )

Having recently bought three books on the growing influence of national populism on present day global politics ("National Populism" by Roger Eatwell, "Whiteshift" by Eric Kaufmann and this one), this was the second one I picked up. I enjoyed Eatwell's book as it explained four main reasons for the growing influence of populists around the world rather than sticking to the superficial and standard narratives of "ignorance", "racism"or "failure to appreciate the benefits of increasing globalism"). I was expecting to get some additional insights from Albright's book on when or whether national populism tends to evolve into fascism and where the meter stands now. I was somewhat disappointed with the first 200 pages being a string of stories of historical and present day fascist leaders, autocrats, leaders of totalitarian states and governing strong men. The likes of Mussolini and Hitler thus serve as introductions to the likes of Milosevic, Kim, Erdogan, Orban, Putin and finally, Trump.

The main insights of the book aren't provided until the last two, very well-written chapters of the book, after which I feel one still needs to connect the dots oneself. Having read "How Democracies Die" by Steven Levitsky last year, I think we are forced to appreciate the fact that the political institutions of US politics and democratic systems in general are far from watertight. Any failures of these institutions can quite easily lead to a collapse in fabric of the democratic system in itself. To a large extent, forebearance is actually the key success factor in maintaining and protecting a democratic system rather than laws and regulations. Once a powerful chararcter manages to rise to the top and starts to "rattle the chains" of the institutionss of free press and an independent judiciary, one should take heed and step up to the defend them. The fact that American politics has become so partisan leaves its democratic system in a fragile and parlous state, as it is hard for a bipartisan agreement to be reached to oppose the president in a concerted effort. After reading Albright's book, I'm left convinced that the only reason that the democratic institutions of the US are holding at the moment are due to the incompetency and flawed character of the current person in office. Were the current resident of the White House to be at all competent, the state of the US would have been considerably more worrisome. I will need to revisit this book at some time after having read "Whiteshift", but for now this is my least favourite of the thee abovementioned books. To be continued. ( )

We miss Madeleine Allbright.

Never have I read a book that is more relevant to the US today. The clear similarities between mistakes made in the past and where our country may be heading now are indisputable. Madeleine Albright did a fantastic job on reviewing times in history and comparing them to the scenes playing out in our every day news. ( )

An important and prescient book. It was written after the Russian annexation of Crimea but before Putin's 2022 invasion of the rest of the Ukraine; after Trump was elected president, but before Trump's defeat when he ran for a second term. I sheds light on these events and helps to make sense of what has happened after the book was written. I give it the highest possible recommendation. ( )