How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us and Them

Jason Stanley, a Yale philosopher and child of WWII European refugees, examines ten pillars of fascist politics: appeal to the mythic past, propaganda, anti-intellectualism, unreality, hierarchy, victimhood, law and order, sexual anxiety, favoring "the heartland," and dismantling of public goods and unions. Drawing on history, philosophy, sociology, and critical race theory, Stanley analyzes how these tactics function in contemporary democracies. He illustrates patterns across Hungary, Poland, India, Myanmar, and the United States, demonstrating how language and beliefs that divide people into "us" and "them" pose dangers to democratic societies. Stanley argues that recognizing these rhetorical and mythic patterns—which can quickly become policy and reality—is essential to resisting their harmful effects and preserving democratic ideals.