Fascism

March 5, 2018
Yes, it can happen here—and in other countries—according to Albright’s far-ranging exploration of the history and latter-day prospects of fascism. The Georgetown professor and former Clinton secretary of state identifies various characteristics of fascism, including hypernationalism and populism mixed with authoritarian-leaning rule, militarism, contempt for democratic customs, persecution of minority populations, a dread of disorder and decadence, charismatic leaders, and public spectacles. After probing accounts of the fascist models of Mussolini’s Italy and Hitler’s Germany, she finds that toxic brew in present-day Venezuela, Turkey, Hungary, Poland, Russia, North Korea, and right-wing parties generally. And then, she writes, there’s Donald Trump, “the first anti-democratic president in modern U.S. history,” whose bluster, “paranoid bigotry” against Muslims and immigrants, America-firstism, and rhetorical attacks on the press and judiciary set a fascistic example for world leaders and abdicate America’s role as global protector of democracy. Albright’s incisive analyses are enriched by her experiences as a refugee from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia—her Jewish grandmother died in a concentration camp—and as America’s diplomat-in-chief; her vivid sketch of a surprisingly rational Kim Jong-Il anchors a sharp critique of Trump’s erratic approach to North Korea. Albright sometimes paints with too broad a brush in conceptualizing fascism, but she offers cogent insights on worrisome political trends.

Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright knows fascism when she sees it. Her personal look at this recurring global political trend takes listeners back to her early childhood, when she witnessed some of the consequences of fascism in Czechoslovakia. Known for her frank manner and direct approach, Albright brings these traits to her performance. Both qualities make her a strong narrator for this serious work. In an interesting departure from her formal persona, she shares insights about her private life all the way back to her teenage years in an American high school. Her experiences as a diplomat serve her well as a narrator--she is confident, steady, and engaging. M.R. � AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine