Summary: A long lecture or short book on ways to prevent tyranny based on 20th-century history.
I have looked at but not read On Tyranny several times. It came out about six years ago. But I decided to pick it up after a tweet from Samuel Perry about regularly rereading it and teaching it. I looked it up again and saw the audiobook was on sale for $3 and was less than 2 hours. (It is $4.50 as I am writing this.)
This formatted too quickly read. Each chapter is only a few pages; the longest chapter is nine pages. While most sermons or commencement addresses won’t have 20 points, it is that type of approach. These are short pieces of advice with brief historical references. Chapter one is Do Not Obey in Advance. That may seem like it doesn’t need to be said, but if we look at history, there are many examples of trying to appease by preemptively doing what you think they would like done. Appeasement may work in some cases, but not in cases of tyranny. In cases of tyranny, it just cements power.
Many of the pieces of advice are about understanding truth or learning. These are always helpful whether we are talking about tyranny or not. Other is more specific like Make Eye Contact and Small Talk. This is primarily a “know your neighbors” idea.
I could easily list and discuss all of the chapters, but this is a short book. I want to make three comments and recommend the book as helpful. I went back and forth between thinking that occasionally there was too much fear-mongering and wishing there were different examples. On Tyranny was published in 2017, and the previous president is referenced regularly. Many of the concerns did not come to pass either because institutions pushed back or because of ineptness. But in some cases, the concerns raised were too weak. There is value in reading a book like this later so that we, as readers, can see how its predictions played out.
At the same time, most of the examples of 20th-century tyranny were European, either Soviet or Putin-led Russia or Nazi Germany. And when those are the examples, many assume these things cannot happen here. I wish Snyder had expanded the historical lens and focused more on US history because this book will primarily be read in the US. When he talks about the rise of paramilitaries, I instantly thought about the rise of the KKK during Reconstruction and how there were literal coupes toward the end of the Reconstitution era, where elections were overthrown, and there was a concerted effort to intimidate voters with violence. Not only could it happen here in the US, it did happen here.
That being said, for years, those that have studied Nazi Germany of Soviet Russia have raised concerns about US politics. One book that I recommend is The Battle for Bonhoeffer by Stephen Haynes. Primarily Haynes is writing about the misuse of historical figures for current political ends. But at the end of the book, he has a section on legitimate concerns that Bonhoeffer scholars have about modern US politics. He tries to be very moderate in raising concerns, but the limited approach may be more helpful than a too-strong approach, and On Tyranny may sometimes verge into being too strong.
This is a short book. I listened to it on two long walks. There is value, but those aware of the history probably do not need it, and those unaware of the history may not believe it or will not pick it up.
On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century by Timothy Snyder Purchase Links: Paperback, Kindle Edition, Audible.com Audiobook