From the Bookshelf of Deep State Radio Book Group…

How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us and Them

Jason F. Stanley

Start date: March 1, 2019

Finish date: April 30, 2019

Discussion: Previous Months Recommendations

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Previous Months Recommendations

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* What book would you like to suggest as our October read?
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last updated Aug 01, 2019 03:21PM

* Our September book, what do you think we should be reading?
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What Members Thought

Nov 01, 2018 GrandpaBooks rated it really liked it

4.5🌟
Professor Jason Stanley explains in his book "How Fascism Works" that "democratic citizenship requires a degree of empathy, insight, and kindness that demands a great deal of us all. There are easier ways." Fascism is an easier way because its pull is powerful. Fascism "preys on the human frailty that makes our own suffering bearable if we know that those we look down upon are being made to suffer more."

Professor Stanley explains in 10 chapters over 193 pages that fascist tactics to achieve 4.5🌟
Professor Jason Stanley explains in his book "How Fascism Works" that "democratic citizenship requires a degree of empathy, insight, and kindness that demands a great deal of us all. There are easier ways." Fascism is an easier way because its pull is powerful. Fascism "preys on the human frailty that makes our own suffering bearable if we know that those we look down upon are being made to suffer more."

Professor Stanley explains in 10 chapters over 193 pages that fascist tactics to achieve power involves the promotion of a mythic past (cherry-picking history); propaganda ("democratic rhetoric with undemocratic intent"); anti-intellectualism; unreality (conspiracy theories and fake news!); hierarchy of value of worth between races; aggrieved victimization of the majority caused by a loss of hierarchical status; law and order (mass incarceration); sexual anxiety (loss of patriarchal family and society with men no longer in charge, homophobia); appeals to the heartland (the true makers of the nation while the urban areas are takers, parasites); and the dismantling of public welfare and unity.

Professor Stanley did a tremendous job of breaking down, explaining and detailing each of these factors. During the course of the book I began asking myself, based on his examples, when fascism actually originated. Professor Stanley showed that at least in pre-Civil War America fascist tactics were being used (Hitler was inspired by the Confederacy and Jim Crow laws. An article I discovered pushed it back into the 1700s).

My only concern with the book was the ease of association the Professor made to some individuals using fascist tactics, such as Steven Pinker and Paul Ryan. Others I much less of an issue with: Lee Atwater, Charles Murray, Steve Bannon, David Horowitz, Marie Le Pen, Rush Limbaugh, and last but not least Stephen Miller.

The Professor addressed this however on pages 187 and 188 of his Epilogue. For that reason I would suggest to the next reader start with the Epilogue before diving into the rest of the book. The Professor made clear that fascism had a terrible impact on his family history; consequently he knows of what he writes in "How Fascism Works." I highly recommend reading this book in light of the past two years and more importantly for the two years ahead. ...more

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May 07, 2019 Gurlinthewurld rated it it was amazing

Excellent book - and by the end of reading it, it left me in tears. The book is written with an academic regard for stating historical facts, while drawing the reader to connect the causes of past events to present day objective reality. Stanley has a personal story invested in the telling and explanation of this political structure that is a growing cloud over so much of the world and the U.S. But he doesn't pander or sell any points. In fact, he gives thorough time to describing the psychologi ...more

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