American Fascism: How the GOP Is Subverting Democracy

by Brynn Tannehill

Trump is out of the White House, but American democracy is on the ropes and teetering on the brink of competitive authoritarianism controlled by theocrats and oligarchs. With its cherished institutions hobbled, political norms trampled, guardrails severely damaged, and body politic divided by chasms of race and geography, can the U.S. survive another administration dedicated to establishing de facto single party rule? In this compelling, comprehensive analysis, Brynn Tannehill draws on her expertise in studying the collapse of weak democracies around the globe and her previous research in law, political science, economics and right-wing populism to explain the trajectory of how we got here and the current threats we face. Most importantly, she analyzes what the characteristics of fascism are, if they are applicable to the base of the GOP today, and what that means for us should they succeed in establishing permanent minoritarian rule. American Fascism is a surgical analysis of 250 years of struggle for democracy in America and a prescient prognosis of what’s to come if we do not heed Tannehill’s warnings and advice.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, History, American

581 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 14, 2021

Reviews

[Jay Leithen · Rating 1 out of 5]

0.25/5

0.20 stars awarded for:
"Some people will always have more money than others, and conversely no society will ever exist where a single person has all the money in the country." this is so true

0.05 stars awarded for referencing ender's game:
"In Ender’s Game, the protagonist Andrew “Ender” Wiggin is a tactical and strategic genius who wins an interstellar war for humanity. The recurring theme of the book is that when you fight a war, you must destroy your enemy so thoroughly that they will never be capable of opposing you again. This analogy describes the modern Republican approach to politics.."

would have awarded half a star for quoting umberto eco, but i would bet my life savings that she copy/pasted the eco quotes without reading the context in which they were written

worth reading to get inside the mind of the ideologically brainwashed

[Mick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tl;dr: move to California, Washington, or Oregon before 2024 if you can’t afford to flee the country yet

[Johnathan Kindall · Rating 2 out of 5]

A broad and incredibly well-researched book that, although structured like a political science textbook, reads quite easily. It’s strength lies in its final few chapters, which project and predict the coming fall of the American empire, and such a crystal clear analysis would not be possible without the impressive literature review of the preceding chapters. The sections on the religious right specifically were succinct and fascinating, as was the exploration of other failed democracies in the modern era.

However, the book feels like a Instagram infographic come to life, and reads like a manifesto of an vote-blue-no-matter who, establishment-Democrat Twitter liberal.

I understand that the book has a thesis to prove, and I’m just as appalled and frightened by the GOP as the author, but to take on a project of this scope and fail to include any anti-capitalist or anti-imperialist perspective is disingenuous at the very best. I don’t need a Marx quote on every page, but, for the most part, Tannehill addresses the issue at hand from a partisan position within the system, and the book falls short because of it.

Somehow, a book as ambitious as this one ends up not being nearly comprehensive enough. The Republican party *is* the autocratic boogeyman that Tannehill paints them as, but the ruling class and military industrial complex has just as much of a hold on the Democratic party as they do the GOP. This book chooses to ignore this fact, and this choice - an active, real, and political one - almost kept me from finishing this.

[Krista · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tannehill traces the authoritarian drive in the modern GOP through the rise of Christian Nationalism and its infiltration into Republican party politics. Published three months after the end of the first Trump administration, her prognosis for the decine of the U.S. into authorianism was poor then and by the metrics laid out in the book may have already passed the "event horizon" of that seemingly inevitable descent.

It's not a feel-good read, but it is thorough, heavily endnoted with sources (over 1/4th of the text is dedicated to such at the end) and if you want more clarity into "How did we get here?" this is one text to do that.

[JRemor · Rating 1 out of 5]

Trying to imagine an evaluation of the economy like Thomas Sowell but wrote from the radical left perspective. This is the book.
Before any hate is thrown over Sowell, he started his life as a communist, later on learned enough to change his views. Some others just can't change views due to ideology. Here is one case.
Trump is the focus of the book, while describing Fascism right and wrongly associating it. The powerful state where people are told what to do, which app to use on the phone, which vac**ine to take is not coming from Trump. The ideology doesn't allow to see the truth. At this point I can only ask myself how much the state is paying for this propaganda. Very curious to know.

[Steve L. Weddle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must Read

I have read several books on fascism, specifically focusing on the fascist ideology in America. This is, by far, the best in depth review and explanation of what is currently taking place in the USA.
The author does an excellent job of taking the reader through the history of this country's march toward an autocratic dictatorship and the demise of the republic.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrifying.

[Grant Wareham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Impressively-researched; important (albeit depressing) information. A must-read.

[Jes Tyler]

Scary, but feels accurate.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thought provoking and scary

This book tells it like it is and as we know it but want to ignore.
Important read!!! Highly recommended.

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

A terrifying portent of things to come, and scarily accurate prediction of things that have already come to pass.

[Alex Sitek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don’t expect to be reading a horror story, but I guess it October

[Rachael Booth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spot on assessment of where the country is headed and how it got there. If you read this book and doubt its veracity, go back to watching Fox "News" with your head in the sand. The research for this book must have been daunting, to say the least. Exceptionally well written and irrefutable - which should terrify you.

[Chris Lee-Francis · Rating 4 out of 5]

The prognosis for democracy in America is not good.

[Frances Doolan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an incredible, well researched and thought provoking book. It was extremely comprehensive in explaining how the U.S. has arrived at this juncture and blistering in its assessment of what comes next. A much needed wake-up call.

[Mario · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one was eye-opening, and gave me a lot to think about. It's a book I think everyone should read.