Fascism or Genocide: How a Decade of Political Disorder Broke American Politics

by Ross Barkan

A deeply reported look at how polarization and compounding crises, including the war in Gaza and threats to democracy, have reshaped American politics

Fascism or Genocide is New York Times Magazine writer Ross Barkan’s sweeping report on the 2024 US election and the decade of political upheaval leading up to it.

As in 2020, Joe Biden campaigned on a platform to save democracy, but fewer voters were persuaded this time. During the Democratic primary season, more than half a million Americans cast votes for “Uncommitted” ballot options to send Biden a message about the urgent need to end the killing in Gaza, with some tagging him “Genocide Joe.”

In contrast, mainstream liberals backed the Democratic ticket in the belief that Trump would put America on the road to fascism. As the director of an influential Palestinian advocacy group tells Barkan, “It’s a choice between fascism or genocide.”

Biden’s withdrawal from the election and Kamala Harris’s subsequent nomination barely changed the narrative. Millions of Democrats stayed home after souring on the party, while others switched allegiance and got behind the Trump team. Fascism or Genocide takes a hard, informed look at the election, focusing on the future of the Democratic Party, the influence and potential of the progressive “Squad,” and ongoing culture wars within the party.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, History

209 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 29, 2025

About the author

https://www.facebook.com/RossBarkanNYC/

Ross Barkan is the author of Demolition Night, a novel, and The Prince: Andrew Cuomo, Coronavirus, and the Fall of New York. His next novel, The Night Burns Bright, will be published in 2022.

An award-winning journalist and former candidate for office, he is a columnist for the Guardian and Jacobin, as well as a contributing writer to the Nation.

His journalism and essays have appeared in a wide variety of publications, including the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Atlantic, the New Yorker, New York Magazine, GQ, the Village Voice, and the Columbia Journalism Review.

In both 2017 and 2019, he was the recipient of the New York Press Club’s award for distinguished newspaper commentary. He now teaches journalism at NYU and St. Joseph’s College. He also created a popular newsletter, Political Currents, on New York and national affairs.

Reviews

[Roland Glotzer · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is not really a book but rather a long essay.
This essay has a few good points :
1. The Democrats lost the 2024 election because of Biden’s selfishness to run again despite no longer being fit to do so (and this being ignored by his entourage).
2. It is a mistake to mix up being Jewish with being pro-Israel.
3. It is not possible to be an ethno-state (Israel claiming to be a Jewish state) while claiming to be a democracy.

None of these points are original or new and the issues of the book’s title Fascism Genocide are never addressed. Even though I read this in only 2 days, it was a waste of my time (and money to buy the book).

[Jacob · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not entirely (just overwhelmingly) without some interesting insights but this book is unfocused and would have been more effective as a collection of essays (not by much though; probably would’ve been best executed as a few one-liners as memes). Regardless, it is poorly argued and reductive. I could go on but this book doesn’t deserve any more thought than I’ve already given it…truly a poorly researched, concluded, and executed disaster.
Of final note: don't let the title catfish you the way it did me.

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This book was very informational and I would fully recommend this to anyone who wants to learn about Democratic electoral politics, especially in the context of the 2020s. However, I do think the title was a touch misleading, and I was hoping the author would have spoken more about how the Palestinian genocide is changing the political landscape of America. He did talk about it, but not as much as I would expect from a book with this title

[Benjamin Solidarity · Rating 3 out of 5]

A useful summary of the last few years politically that allows for some reflection. The author does too much liberal sneering and dismissal of the left without providing much of an alternative, though his take on the need for the left to get over ineffective horizontalism and train up leaders I think is true. Also his theory of a new romanticism I find kind of weak.

[Reed Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

hmm.. as another reviewer said, and as the new republic mentioned, the author kind of hesitates to really discuss fascism or genocide confidently and boldly. overall not a bad book, but seemed a little reluctant and timid about the topic of the title at times

[lorde · Rating 3 out of 5]

the new republic described this book as “A Book Called Fascism or Genocide That’s Reluctant to Discuss Either.” it was right. good analysis unfortunately dragged down by its heavy focus on democratic electability and an idealist, liberal view of what the united states and israel “could be”

[Erin Matson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Short and somehow sprawling, this book covers too much ground to satisfy. I’m still not clear, for example, why there was a multi-page non-sequitur on Uber. In any case, the Democratic Party is a mess. This book reflects that.

[Mollie Tessler · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF

This book had potential - and was covering important and interesting topics, but the author was all over the place making it difficult to follow or pull meaning from.

:(