On Tyranny

First UK edition (publ. Bodley Head)

On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century is a 2017 book by Timothy Snyder, a historian of 20th-century Europe. The book was published by Tim Duggan Books in hardcover and by Penguin Random House in paperback.[1] A graphic version, illustrated by Nora Krug, was released October 5, 2021.[2] The book topped the New York Times bestseller list for paperback nonfiction in 2017[3] and remained on bestseller lists as late as 2021.[4][5]

On Tyranny focuses on the concept of tyranny in the context of the modern United States politics, analyzing what Snyder calls "America's turn towards authoritarianism".[6] Explaining that "(h)istory does not repeat, but it does instruct,"[7] he analyzes recent European history to identify conditions that can enable established democracies to transform into dictatorships.[8][9] The short (126 pages) book is presented as a series of twenty instructions on how to combat the rise of tyranny, such as "Defend institutions", "Remember professional ethics", and "Believe in truth".[10]

Reviews

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Carlos Lozada of The Washington Post describes the book as "clarifying and unnerving", "a memorable work that is grounded in history yet imbued with the fierce urgency of what now."[11] Daniel W. Drezner, writing for The New York Times, says, "For such a small book, Snyder invests On Tyranny with considerable heft," but he also describes it as "overwrought" and tending toward hyperbole.[12]

Tim Adams of The Guardian describes the work as "a 'how to' guide for resisting tyranny", concluding "You will read no more relevant field guide to that wisdom than this book."[13] Richard Evans, also in The Guardian, writes that "Snyder provokes us to think again about major issues of our time, as well as significant elements of the past, but he seems to have rushed it out rather too quickly."[14]

US election 2024

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In his Substack newsletter, Snyder encourages people to start organizing now (2024) in order to win both local and national elections.[15] He notes that On Tyranny was written in a defensive mode and that if its lessons are learned and implemented now things could get much better in 2025 for those who want to maintain democracy and the rule of law in the United States.[15] Snyder has noted that while Trump did not succeed in overturning the 2020 election, it was practice for a successful coup and his supporters will be better prepared for 2024.[16] He also notes that in 2020 important individuals and institutions were aware Trump might not want to peacefully transfer power if he lost the elections and that they prepared to make sure lawful transfer did occur.[16]

References

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  1. ^ "On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century". Penguin Random House. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  2. ^ Snyder, Timothy (October 5, 2021). On Tyranny Graphic Edition: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century. ISBN 978-1984860392.
  3. ^ Gonzales, Susan (October 21, 2017). "One Yale historian, two NYT bestsellers". Yale News. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  4. ^ Juris, Carolyn (January 22, 2021). "This Week's Bestsellers: January 25, 2021". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  5. ^ "Washington Post paperback bestsellers". The Washington Post. February 9, 2021. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  6. ^ Rucker, Philip; Costa, Robert (October 2, 2019). "'A presidency of one': Key federal agencies increasingly compelled to benefit Trump". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  7. ^ "A review of 'On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century'". Daily Kos. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
  8. ^ Dean, Dominic (November 10, 2017). "On tyranny: twenty lessons from the twentieth century / Complicity: criticism between collaboration and commitment". Textual Practice. 31 (7): 1533–1542. doi:10.1080/0950236X.2017.1374041. ISSN 0950-236X. S2CID 148634091.
  9. ^ Gove, Michael. "On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century by Timothy Snyder". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
  10. ^ Sly, Jordan (2017). "Timothy Snyder. On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century. New York: Tim Duggan Books, 2017. 126p. Paper, $7.99 (ISBN 978-0-8041-9011-4)." College & Research Libraries. 78 (6): 868. doi:10.5860/crl.78.6.868. ISSN 2150-6701.
  11. ^ Lozada, Carlos (2017). "Review | 20 ways to recognize tyranny — and fight it". Washington Post. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
  12. ^ Drezner, Daniel W. (April 19, 2021). "3 Very Short Books on 3 Very Big Ideas". The New York Times. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  13. ^ Adams, Tim (March 20, 2017). "On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century by Timothy Snyder – review". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
  14. ^ Evans, Richard J. (March 8, 2017). "On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder review – how to defend democracy in the age of Trump". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
  15. ^ a b Snyder, Timothy (January 6, 2024). "On Tyranny". Substack.
  16. ^ a b David, Charles R. (January 14, 2022). "Yale history professor Timothy Snyder told Insider he fears American democracy may not survive another Trump campaign". Business Insider.
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