"Strongmen" Book Talk with Ruth Ben-Ghiat and Jason Stanley

What is the playbook used by authoritarians from Mussolini to the present day? What can we learn from the past?
Ruth Ben-Ghiat is the expert on the “strongman” playbook employed by authoritarian demagogues from Mussolini to Putin. In her upcoming book "Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present," she explains the blueprint these leaders have followed over the past 100 years, and empowers us to recognize, resist, and prevent their disastrous rule in the future. She also tracks the use of anti-Jewish propaganda as a common element connecting Mussolini, Hitler, and some of today’s European strongmen.
This program is moderated by "How Fascism Works" author Jason Stanley.

[@gabrielgudding3744]

Watching this five days after the US Capitol putsch of January 6 ... And it's the first thing to lift my spirits slightly after five days of anguish. With much gratitude to the speakers and to the museum. ❤️

[@Bmmhable]

Thanks for making this conversation available.

[@bobtucker2810]

Grateful for these authors and their work on this subject. Appreciate the video and comments. Very important to inform on the history and conditions enabling the rise of these horrible leaders.

[@bonniesmith2940]

Thank you for sharing this discussion on KZbin. In turn, I have shared the link to this talk via Facebook.

[@jmontarsi]

WOW! What an interesting and enlightening discussion! I presently reading both Stanley's and Ben-Ghiat's books. This video is a great companion to their texts. Thank you to the Museum and to Professors Stanley and Ben-Ghiat for making this discussion available to the public.

[@dandeasy8711]

Great - Thank you so much

[@e-t-y237]

Tremendous exchange on the subject to help the unwary see how it happens.

[@carolinenetbrun5030]

So true. Let us beware.

[@tomx4254]

Ty for this!

[@JohnMassari]

I must get this book

[@lotteweill]

Could any discussion be more relevant to current events in the u s a? Joshua Mack does refer to the elephant in the room towards the end of the discussion.

[@billf8217]

I agree. I’m not sure the reason for the absence of any discussing of the most salient example of a strongman leader, but it certainly would have been informative to hear their thoughts on Trump.

[@pcjenkin]

These two actually make Chris Hedges sound like a junior-college dropout.