Review of "On Tyranny" by Timothy Snyder

            I just finished reading “On Tyranny” by Timothy Snyder. The book contains twenty lessons from the 20^th century. I took away three important lessons, and I would really recommend the book.

First, that post-truth is pre-fascism. Truth is important for valid criticism. If there is no basis for real facts or objective truth, then all imperfections are just matters of opinion, with no basis in reality. President Trump’s recent comments on disinfectant highlight his aversion to facts, and demonstrates why they are necessary.

Second, democracies can erode and collapse without bipartisan support. There were three waves of democratization in the 20^th century. The first after World War I, the second after World War II, and the third after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Many of these young democracies reverted to one-party rule, either in the form of fascism, communism, or some other form of authoritarianism.

Third, defending institutions is important. Whether that institution is law enforcement, the free press, the independent judiciary, or professional ethics, defending institutions is key to preserving democracy. Tyrants like to destroy professional ethics, from journalism to law to medicine, and maintaining these codes of conduct is important.

I recommend the book. At about 120 pages, it’s a quick read. Timothy Snyder has written another book about the history of Russia, which I am slowly reading. Other lessons from “On Tyranny” include maintaining a private life, maintaining social relations with a diverse group of people, and remain calm and courageous.