Justin's Reviews > On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century

On Tyranny is a depressing, but important read, and one whose urgency seems even more pronounced than when it was written during Trump's first term. It's a succinct, easily-digestible account of the warning signs of a failing democracy, with suggestions for what to do to resist fascist/totalitarian trends. It does feel like it could have used a few more pages though, as certain recommendations remain wholly unaddressed.

For example, the opening blurb for section 14, Establishing a Private Life, mentions, "Consider using alternative forms of the internet, or simply using it less." The second half of that is straightforward, but there's no indication of what "alternative forms of the internet" is even supposed to mean. Is Snyder advocating for different social networks? Using VPNs? Tor? Almost certainly not the much-maligned "dark web," but it's unclear what he means at all.

Or how about section 20, Be As Courageous As You Can, which says in its entirety: "If none of us is prepared to die for freedom, then all of us will die under tyranny." Not helpful, especially when peaceful protests and marching in the streets are covered in another section. Without any further guidance beyond "be prepared to die," this last section is unhelpful at best, and at worst, could feasibly encourage someone unstable to do something terrible.

Still, examples like that aside, the core of On Tyranny is accessible, and written with at least a nod towards there being hope. And even if its flaws gall you more than they did me, it's barely 125 pages long, even with the epilogue, so it's worth a read.