Fascism

A Warning

By: Madeleine Albright

Narrated by: Madeleine Albright

From one of the most admired international leaders comes a timely, considered, and personal look at the history and current resurgence of fascism today and the virulent threat it poses to international freedom, prosperity, and peace.

At the end of the 1980s, when the Cold War ended, many, including former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, believed that democracy had triumphed politically once and for all. Yet nearly 30 years later, the direction of history no longer seems certain. A repressive and destructive force has begun to reemerge on the global stage - sweeping across Europe, parts of Asia, and the United States - that to Albright, looks very much like fascism.

Based on her personal experience growing up in Hungary under Hitler and the Communist regime that followed World War II, as well as knowledge gleaned from her distinguished diplomatic career and insights from colleagues around the globe, Albright paints a clear picture of how fascism flourishes and explains why it is once again taking hold worldwide, identifying the factors contributing to its rise. Most importantly, she makes clear what could happen if we fail to act against rising fascist forces today and in the near future, including the potential for economic catastrophe, a lasting spike in terrorist activity, increased sectarian violence, a rash of large-scale humanitarian emergencies, massive human rights violations, a breakdown in multilateral cooperation, and nearly irreparable self-inflicted damage to America's reputation and capacity to lead.

Albright also offers clear solutions, including adjusting to the ubiquity of social media and the changing nature of the workplace and understanding ordinary citizens' universal desire for sources of constancy and morality in their lives. She contends that we must stimulate economic growth and narrow the gap between the rich and poor, urban and rural, women and men, and skilled and unskilled; work across borders to respond to transnational challenges; and ultimately recognize that democracy's unique virtue is its ability - through reason and open debate - to find remedies for its own shortcomings.

©2018 Madeleine Albright (P)2018 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"Known for her frank manner and direct approach, Albright brings these traits to her performance. Both qualities make her a strong narrator for this serious work.... Her experiences as a diplomat serve her well as a narrator - she is confident, steady, and engaging." (AudioFile)

America beware!

Albright gives a comprehensive history of modern fascism which includes current "leaders" worldwide. It is especially appropriate to read given the current atmosphere in the USA. It's an important reminder that with the right conditions it can happen here.

An important look at our current political dangers

Madeleine Albright was the first woman to be US Secretary of State, under Bill Clinton, appointed in 1997. A native of Czechoslovakia, born in 1937, her family had to flee the country for the UK to escape Hitler. Although they returned to Czechoslovakia after the war, ultimately they emigrated to the US in 1948.

What Albright didn't know until decades later was that her parents were Jewish converts to Roman Catholicism, making the need to escape even greater than she had known.

In a career as an academic, politician, and diplomat, she became an expert on troubled and troublesome leaders and regimes around the world. Now, she's written a clear warning about fascism, how it rose in the 20th century, and the new fascist regimes of the 21st century.

And of course, the dangerous signs in our own country.

This is not a partisan book. This isn't about Democrat vs. Republican, or liberal vs. conservative. It's about small-d democracy vs. fascism, a virulent nationalism, authoritarianism, an insistence on conformity. Some kinds of dictatorship want to disarm the population to keep them in line. Fascists often count on the eager support of an energized and armed population to suppress opposition. Underlying the whole structure is not an elite's fear of "the people," but an all too popular fear of The Other, when times are uncertain and change has come too quickly for some to absorb.

Albright is much more knowledgeable, has two decades more life experience, is a better writer, and has given this a lot more thought, leavened with practical experience, than I can. Read what she has to say on this, not what I have to say.

Highly recommended.

I bought this audiobook.

Fascism turns on us all.

Ignorance the fodder, greed the director of fascism. History, today, well delivered discussion, worthy warning.

Must read

A must read for everyone. Madeleine Albright's knowledge and personal history put our current situation in better context to be warned of what could come if we allow things current rhetoric to continue.

Excellent book. Fitting for the time of Trump.

The book deals masterfully with the history of fascism and applies this history to the present time with Trump as our President.

Very informative

I appreciate the contribution to my understanding of so many topics that are important to me and to topics that I knew absolutely nothing about. This is an interesting, thoughtful, & helpful book.

A great review of recent history

I love how Ambassador Albright brought the difficult topic of fascism to an understandable level. I particularly enjoyed a review of current authoritarian world leaders and what they've been able to do. I did not understand how all this fascism is taking place. I now have a much clearer view of how important the United States' role in democracy is.

a thoughtful reflection

I would have loved to be one of her students. this was excellent scholarship. 10/10

Superb Book!

Very historical and very interesting. I learned so much that I am looking forward to reading it again. I highly recommend this book. I am surprised that it is not being promoted more than it is.

Informative and Interesting

(As posted in GoodReads)
Wow: what an interesting and informative book! I was aware of the talent of Mahlon Albright only in a sort of once removed position as a citizen of the country for which she was a fabulous Secretary of State. She has presented herself as a fabulous teacher, also.
She gave the whole background of the fascism and communism leading up to World War II. I had always known that communism was theoretically run by the "people", whereas "fascism" is headed by one person. It has finally become obvious to me that most modern day communism IS headed by one person, and is therefore fascist! But I digress.
Ms. Albright pointed out and clarified the workings of many current fascist leaders, and she indicated what kinds of problems they are running into and encouraging. The way she fits Donald Trump into the discussion is right on! Perhaps because I am in total agreement with her analysis of and perception of our current administrative disaster, I truly appreciated this entire book.