Ruth Ben-Ghiat: Recognizing Signs of Authoritarianism

In this wide-ranging interview, celebrated historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat reveals how today’s right-wing populists-from Modhi to Duterte, Trump to Putin-are following a playbook originally crafted by Italian fascists a century ago.
From Hungary to India to the United States, liberal democracies are under threat from reactionary populists. With slogans of virality and violence, a new generation of strongmen are coming to power by railing against immigrants, outsiders, and other marginalized groups. NYU historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat argues that there’s nothing new about their tactics and rhetoric. She contends that today’s would-be strongmen are following a template forged by fascists in the early 20th century. She also argues that the only force that can save democracy are the forces that saved it before massive, pro-democratic social movements for justice.
Keywords: Putin, Mussolini, Trump, Netanyahu, liberalism, authoritarianism, social movements, fascism, toxic masculinity, democracy, conservatism.
Professor Ben-Ghiat is the spring 2023 Dan and Maggie Inouye Distinguished Chair in Democratic Ideals at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.
BTSS website: manoa.hawaii.edu/speakers/
Facebook: / uhbtss
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Twitter: @uh_btss
Channel: / @uhbtss
Public lecture: • Strongmen: How Illiberal Leaders Cons...
Sponsored by the Department of American Studies in the College of Arts, Languages & Letters and the William S. Richardson School of Law

[@miriampborne]

Ruth Ben Ghiat is is an important voice for our time on the threat, history and ways to deal with fascism. I am almost finished reading her “Strongmen” and it was good to see her speak as well on video. Everyone should watch her interviews.

[@SCS-1964]

Yep, and Jason Stanley

[@kimobrien.]

@@SCS-1964Has she ever faced fascist violence which arises in a revolutionary situation as the vomit expelled by a dying capitalism.

[@Historia.Magistra.Vitae.]

@@kimobrien. : Capitalism doesn't die, and fascism was a socialist ideology anyways. Cope harder.

[@kimobrien.]

@@Historia.Magistra.Vitae. Capitalism has the natural tendency of the long term profit rate to decline as machines are used to replace licing labor. The best the workers can hope for is for the capitalist to reinvest in expanding production but they only do so when they see profits ahead. When the they invest in driving up the exchange value of fictitious capital they prepare another economic crisis when the exchange value collapses. By 1914 they had taken over and divided the world's resources and markets among themselves at which point the went to war to redivide the world amongst each other. This is the age of Imperialism capitalist highest stage greedy ruling classes of the Imperialist nations once again want to enter into trade war to solve capitalism problems. This is why capitalism is dying it is in its highest stage and the workers must take production away from the greedy ruling classes and produce on the basis of needs not the profits of the greedy ruling classes of the capitalist nations. .

[@kimobrien.]

@@Historia.Magistra.Vitae. It makes no difference what pretty phases the NAZI German Imperialist Hitler used he was a defender of capitalism breaking strikes for the bosses and being handed state power by the Conservative Parties of the capitalist ruling class. Hitler wanted a thousand year Reich while the American Imperialist wanted an American century. Henry Ford was the favorite American of Hitler after all Ford publish "The International Jew." Which Hitler republished in German.

[@robertcarleo6846]

Great interview! Ruth Ben-Ghiat has been warning Americans for a long time now. If you want to understand American and world politics you must listen to this lady. Her book "Strongman" is a masterful work giving a clear understanding of why and how tyrants take over and autocratic governments succeed. The best antidote is for everyone to pay close attention and vote as if your well being is at stake.

[@migmey]

What a great conversation, in depth, calm and enlightening. The topic itself is really frightening though. We live in dark times.

[@Airelon]

The calmest conversation I've seen regarding politics on KZbin for quite some time. I'll be adding Dr. Ruth Ben-Ghiat to my reading list.

[@sempressfi]

Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Heather Cox Anderson, Thomas Snyder, and Jason Stanley are some of the most important historians in my opinion. I turn to them for wisdom and as a sort of temperature check for myself on whether something a politician or government does that I find alarming is concerning to them or if I might be reading a bit too much into it. Also, Teri Kanefield, a lawyer, has excellent videos/blogs on politics and democracy as well as both factual explainers and informed opinion pieces on all the legal stuff going on in America.

[@lesliebateson4857]

Heather Cox Richardson.

[@gilhernandeziii4031]

Ruth, I'm gald I found you. Thank you, for doing your part on opening the eyes of the myopic Americans who can't see how dangerous Trump is and his fascist demeanor...

[@VJFranzK]

49:15 "...dictatorships put people to sleep" "What does it mean to be anti-woke? ... They want you to go to sleep, to shut up."

[@RyuHazaki]

Very informative, really enjoyed the conversation.

[@alandonly]

Love Ruth. Everyone must read: "Alpha God" to understand why women support strongmen as the Alpha Male in our primate psychosociology.

[@floweringmind]

Fantastic interview, hope you do more.

[@Joelmonterrey]

I just discovered Ruth Ben-Ghiat and she puts the pieces together so well. I will be reading her book and watching all these videos.

[@MissPaintalot]

I admire Ruth so much. Thank you very much for airing this for us all to see, so insightful and illuminating

[@thegoddessdiana9185]

Puyin also decriminalized domestic violence.

[@chrisg6091]

Timely

[@AuntieMamies]

I love this woman. She is so intelligent and so in tune with what's happening. She's a very important person to have speaking at this time.

[@Lonigo77]

Great discussion enlivened by sound scholarship. Thanks UH Manoa!

[@user-fp5gz5we1n]

WE NEED TO PROMOTE YOUR BOOK ON A GRAND SCALE ... SO WE CAN ALL HAVE TRAINED EYES LOOKING ON .. ESPECIALLY THE YOUNG PEOPLE.....

[@50-50_Grind]

👍

[@SusanJoySchleef]

I always appreciate what Ruth Ben-Ghiat has to say. But it's too bad nobody at the University of Hawaii knows how to do a mic check to make sure that we'd be able to hear the moderator's comments and questions.

[@sharonhearne5014]

You appeal to the greatest number of Americans who are less educated - and the largest part of the population - and you appeal to those who feel disenfranchised such as American workers who lost their jobs as more jobs were automated or rural areas where farms and agriculture were taken over by larger operational corporations. If Trump did not key into this directly due to his abysmal lack of education and reading, his advisors certainly did and used his name recognition and popularity to push those focuses for his political campaigns. These are manipulative tools used by all strongmen and Trump is just another one. The GOP can play all kinds of manipulative political games but their ultimate goal is as much political control as possible.

[@kimobrien.]

The workers have already began their struggle against capitalism's failures to meet their needs and the decline of American Imperialism. The liberals of the capitalist class will turn to fascism and gangsterism to save their rotting system which is in decline due to the natural workings of the system and the failures of the American capitalist class in the fight for world markets. The American Imperialist are already toying with the idea of launching trade warr which leads ti real war.

[@thomasberrey3774]

My older brother taught me (through his behavior) about narcissistic behavior, it's remarkable how he had several friends but thought he could be very charming, he had a deeply dark side, the similarities with trump and his ilk both amaze and scare me

[@jamesi.5735]

Can anyone pls explain the difference between authoritarianism and fascism? I hear these two terms used interchangeably but I haven’t read or heard a clear distinction between the two.

[@jcbjcb2]

wikipedia... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fascism is category within the more general en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authoritarianism.

[@Historia.Magistra.Vitae.]

Authoritarianism is a form of governance. Fascism was a socialist and totalitarian political ideology.

[@garyowen3662]

I believe all fascist states are authoritarian. But not all authoritarian states are fascist. Perhaps others will fill in more detail or nuance.

[@thomasberrey3774]

we just had a right wing Christian freakout about: No religious symbols on Easter eggs (1974 Ford administration) And bed wetting about trans visibility day on Easter Sunday been happening years and years, simply a calendar coincidence but it was blamed on Biden

[@robertcoyle1738]

Think it bad now, wait till A.I gets to us; won’t be able to tell what Truth is