Historian of fascism Ruth Ben-Ghiat on what it will take to defeat authoritarianism, the rise of American oligarchs, and how to rebuild a politics based on values
Maybe what disappointed some of today's readers was, in large part, a lack of specific goals, as if Ruth Ben-Ghiat thought you and your readers didn't need to have them expressed concretely. Average-to-low-income families can't afford to rent or buy shelter. Public spending would help. Public ownership of utilities, with tax dollars going to renewable energy and green appliances would help. Closing loopholes that enrich further the very rich would help. Taxing investment gains now shielded from taxation would help. Assigning more tax dollars to low-income supported public schools would help. Ending Citizens United, the filibuster, gerrymandering, setting term limits for judges, including the "supremes," one could go on. Goals to strive for, with the efforts of many more of the willing and the better motivated, mobilizing sooner than later.
We’ve long understood the problems we face and the solutions required to address them. Yet, real change remains elusive because those in power are beholden to the very forces that sustain the status quo. Progress is stalled until the majority of people reach a breaking point—when fear and hate no longer manipulate them into voting against their own interests.
The truth is that even those who seem diametrically opposed share the same fundamental needs. Only by recognizing this shared reality and refusing to be divided will we see meaningful change. It’s a wake-up call waiting to happen, but until then, the cycle persists.
Why didn’t former Biden voters fail to vote in this election? Economic may have had something to do with it, but my bet is on racism and sexism. Some voters can’t imagine a woman president let alone a Black woman president.
Beyond voter suppression and election rigging, the lackluster turnout among Democrats seems rooted in several factors. A significant one was the media’s relentless portrayal of Biden as old and incompetent, which undoubtedly dampened enthusiasm among key voter groups. Additionally, massive funding in battleground states was weaponized to distort Harris's statements on transgender issues, taking them out of context to galvanize opposition.
Cultural dynamics also played a role. Disaffected males drawn to a "strongman" archetype sought a father figure rather than a leader focused on inclusivity. And the prospect of a Black woman as president—while a milestone for progress—remains a challenge for many voters in the current political climate.
The post-election criticism of the Democrats’ strategy is misplaced. Harris ran a remarkably disciplined and effective campaign. The barriers she faced were not of her making but reflective of deep-seated biases and systemic challenges that persist in American politics.
I dont see a lack of values. We are fighting the spin machine of greed and fear, and progressives need a Blue Drumbeat and consistent, emotional soundbites that get free airtime. This is a craft that we shouldnt be afraid of; DeGrasse Tyson describes it well. I pray we can have a messaging bootcamp for civic leaders to craft their messaging, then follow up with the nuanced policy analysis and proposals.
We also need to put the knuckleheads on the defense. For example, rather than rant about "voter disenfranchisement", ( way too many syllables), call out the lawmakers for being "sore losers" over and over, because thats what they are. Plus this term makes them look weak.
Some of Lakoff's ideas still hold merit as Ms Ben-Ghiat points out; we need a strategy that works with this in mind. Sign me up for the boot camp.
Rebuild politics based on values? The word “rebuild” implies a false narrative. We’ve never had politics based on values, other than profit. We’re the richest nation in the history of the planet and should have the healthiest, happiest, best educated, best housed, and best nourished population on Earth. Instead, the rich get richer (prosperity theology!), the poor get poorer, and the few victims of oppression whose cases make it to court get silenced by NDAs.
This comment loses some heft by being iso black&white, limiting, combative, misses too much that’s also part of the big stew. How to deepen thought—less ideology, less all or nothing, more nuance & critical thinking, more heart, needed by & in our troubled country.
And taking time to study great Americans & their values & views about this mighty & flawed political experiment that is this country, such as at Kareem Abdul Jabbar’s Substack. Worth supporting that one too. For hope, activism, & broad views.
The middle class is being squeezed economically, politically, and socially. In 1980, 90% of the population received 2/3 of the total US income. Today, they only receive 1/2. The increase in women in the workforce during that period and their increasing income relative to men resulted in more of that decline impacting middle class males (blacks and whites). Automation (robotics and AI) will result in an acceleration of that trend. Politics based on values is critical, but so is a substantive change in our economic, political, and social systems that allow for fair treatment of all people - black and white middle class males included. We need to balance upper class power with middle class power if we are going to accomplish that. Balancing adequate and accurate information is the best way to do that. See www.informedcitizens.com for one suggestion. There may be others that are better, but until we accept this as a critical problem that needs to be addressed, we won't find those solutions.
Is it not perfectly obvious that we have gotten here because of the money that controls politics? As long as politicians need donor's dollars, they will protect those donors in lieu of the citizenry. If there is a problem, you can be assured that money is the key to the cause and the cure. I have always defined politics not as it has traditionally been defined as the art of compromise but as 'who gets the money.'
Agreed. A fairer balance of power and influence, both economically and politically, is critical to a successful America. Those with money providing the funding for politicians has led to a vicious circle of politicians then supporting legislation that benefits those who fund them. Public funding of politicians would improve the probability of politicians doing what's in the best interests of the public.
The rise of figures like Elon Musk highlights a societal tendency to equate wealth with wisdom, as Tevye said in Fiddler on the Roof: “When you’re rich, they think you really know.” In reality, extraordinary wealth often owes as much to luck—birth circumstances, timing, and connections—as to talent or effort. Yet, in capitalist cultures, wealth is often conflated with intelligence or moral authority, overshadowing critical questions about how it was acquired. Recognizing the role of luck challenges the myth that riches inherently signify greater ability or virtue.
And here we are with a verifiable oligarch who is willing to cause pain on the populous, certainly no sacrifice on his part as he positions himself for further gain to his record-breaking wealth.
Bless Ben-Ghiat. She has spent so much time helping to define authoritarianism and finally Fascism, very abstractly. But what is the point if you fail to concretely identify who is responsible, concretely identify how they have come to power and what concrete goals they?
Why not interview Nancy MacLean or Jane Meyer who actually identify who the oligarchs are, how they came to be, how they hide themselves and their motives and how we should fight back?
We’ve long understood the problems we face and the solutions required to address them. Yet, real change remains elusive because those in power are beholden to the very forces that sustain the status quo. Progress is stalled until the majority of people reach a breaking point—when fear and hate no longer manipulate them into voting against their own interests.
The truth is that even those who seem diametrically opposed share the same fundamental needs. Only by recognizing this shared reality and refusing to be divided will we see meaningful change. It’s a wake-up call waiting to happen, but until then, the cycle persists.
Hold everything. What am I missing here? All the problems and hypocrisies highlighted here are caused by the system, i.e., Congress being owned by their donors. Nothing will change until money does not rule. Rule by money? I think that is called oligarchy. Get the people to vote for oligarchs by demonizing those others. Hate/fear has always sold well in politics.
People didn't vote for the same reason Luigi did what he did. It doesn't matter if we vote democrats into office with all the hopes that they might fix something. We have been lied to too many times. Nothing changes. My worthless Senator is a "d" who does and says nothing year after year except do the bidding of the corporations . If I contact her about an issue I get an auto, instant reply thanking me for my contact and that's the end of it. She does and says nothing else, ever. She just got re-elected for the 4th time.
Young people in my circle opted out when they realized how many democrats were just as corrupt as republicans. Taking money from lobbyists etc to maintain their seats and the status quo. They were seen as cowards and fakes. Moving to the center just sealed the deal. Progressives could have brought Harris a win and that was a mistake. Bernie nailed it. Many want to go LEFT with more support for workers, the elderly, school kids, and those left behind. Democrat politicians proved they aren't even trying to achieve universal healthcare. Guess how Americans feel about that?! See: Luigi.
"Having a politics based on values and putting those values into action and being consistent: values of unity and decency and social justice and justice, racial justice, climate justice, solidarity, human rights, and the rule of law. And some of the foreign policy did not support that, did not seem to support that. And that alienated people."
Maybe what disappointed some of today's readers was, in large part, a lack of specific goals, as if Ruth Ben-Ghiat thought you and your readers didn't need to have them expressed concretely. Average-to-low-income families can't afford to rent or buy shelter. Public spending would help. Public ownership of utilities, with tax dollars going to renewable energy and green appliances would help. Closing loopholes that enrich further the very rich would help. Taxing investment gains now shielded from taxation would help. Assigning more tax dollars to low-income supported public schools would help. Ending Citizens United, the filibuster, gerrymandering, setting term limits for judges, including the "supremes," one could go on. Goals to strive for, with the efforts of many more of the willing and the better motivated, mobilizing sooner than later.
We’ve long understood the problems we face and the solutions required to address them. Yet, real change remains elusive because those in power are beholden to the very forces that sustain the status quo. Progress is stalled until the majority of people reach a breaking point—when fear and hate no longer manipulate them into voting against their own interests.
The truth is that even those who seem diametrically opposed share the same fundamental needs. Only by recognizing this shared reality and refusing to be divided will we see meaningful change. It’s a wake-up call waiting to happen, but until then, the cycle persists.
Why didn’t former Biden voters fail to vote in this election? Economic may have had something to do with it, but my bet is on racism and sexism. Some voters can’t imagine a woman president let alone a Black woman president.
Beyond voter suppression and election rigging, the lackluster turnout among Democrats seems rooted in several factors. A significant one was the media’s relentless portrayal of Biden as old and incompetent, which undoubtedly dampened enthusiasm among key voter groups. Additionally, massive funding in battleground states was weaponized to distort Harris's statements on transgender issues, taking them out of context to galvanize opposition.
Cultural dynamics also played a role. Disaffected males drawn to a "strongman" archetype sought a father figure rather than a leader focused on inclusivity. And the prospect of a Black woman as president—while a milestone for progress—remains a challenge for many voters in the current political climate.
The post-election criticism of the Democrats’ strategy is misplaced. Harris ran a remarkably disciplined and effective campaign. The barriers she faced were not of her making but reflective of deep-seated biases and systemic challenges that persist in American politics.
I dont see a lack of values. We are fighting the spin machine of greed and fear, and progressives need a Blue Drumbeat and consistent, emotional soundbites that get free airtime. This is a craft that we shouldnt be afraid of; DeGrasse Tyson describes it well. I pray we can have a messaging bootcamp for civic leaders to craft their messaging, then follow up with the nuanced policy analysis and proposals.
We also need to put the knuckleheads on the defense. For example, rather than rant about "voter disenfranchisement", ( way too many syllables), call out the lawmakers for being "sore losers" over and over, because thats what they are. Plus this term makes them look weak.
Some of Lakoff's ideas still hold merit as Ms Ben-Ghiat points out; we need a strategy that works with this in mind. Sign me up for the boot camp.
Rebuild politics based on values? The word “rebuild” implies a false narrative. We’ve never had politics based on values, other than profit. We’re the richest nation in the history of the planet and should have the healthiest, happiest, best educated, best housed, and best nourished population on Earth. Instead, the rich get richer (prosperity theology!), the poor get poorer, and the few victims of oppression whose cases make it to court get silenced by NDAs.
This comment loses some heft by being iso black&white, limiting, combative, misses too much that’s also part of the big stew. How to deepen thought—less ideology, less all or nothing, more nuance & critical thinking, more heart, needed by & in our troubled country.
And taking time to study great Americans & their values & views about this mighty & flawed political experiment that is this country, such as at Kareem Abdul Jabbar’s Substack. Worth supporting that one too. For hope, activism, & broad views.
The middle class is being squeezed economically, politically, and socially. In 1980, 90% of the population received 2/3 of the total US income. Today, they only receive 1/2. The increase in women in the workforce during that period and their increasing income relative to men resulted in more of that decline impacting middle class males (blacks and whites). Automation (robotics and AI) will result in an acceleration of that trend. Politics based on values is critical, but so is a substantive change in our economic, political, and social systems that allow for fair treatment of all people - black and white middle class males included. We need to balance upper class power with middle class power if we are going to accomplish that. Balancing adequate and accurate information is the best way to do that. See www.informedcitizens.com for one suggestion. There may be others that are better, but until we accept this as a critical problem that needs to be addressed, we won't find those solutions.
Is it not perfectly obvious that we have gotten here because of the money that controls politics? As long as politicians need donor's dollars, they will protect those donors in lieu of the citizenry. If there is a problem, you can be assured that money is the key to the cause and the cure. I have always defined politics not as it has traditionally been defined as the art of compromise but as 'who gets the money.'
Agreed. A fairer balance of power and influence, both economically and politically, is critical to a successful America. Those with money providing the funding for politicians has led to a vicious circle of politicians then supporting legislation that benefits those who fund them. Public funding of politicians would improve the probability of politicians doing what's in the best interests of the public.
100%
The rise of figures like Elon Musk highlights a societal tendency to equate wealth with wisdom, as Tevye said in Fiddler on the Roof: “When you’re rich, they think you really know.” In reality, extraordinary wealth often owes as much to luck—birth circumstances, timing, and connections—as to talent or effort. Yet, in capitalist cultures, wealth is often conflated with intelligence or moral authority, overshadowing critical questions about how it was acquired. Recognizing the role of luck challenges the myth that riches inherently signify greater ability or virtue.
And here we are with a verifiable oligarch who is willing to cause pain on the populous, certainly no sacrifice on his part as he positions himself for further gain to his record-breaking wealth.
Bless Ben-Ghiat. She has spent so much time helping to define authoritarianism and finally Fascism, very abstractly. But what is the point if you fail to concretely identify who is responsible, concretely identify how they have come to power and what concrete goals they?
Why not interview Nancy MacLean or Jane Meyer who actually identify who the oligarchs are, how they came to be, how they hide themselves and their motives and how we should fight back?
This comment section is the lamest party I’ve been to in a long time. Cynicism is oh so clever, but will do us all in.
We’ve long understood the problems we face and the solutions required to address them. Yet, real change remains elusive because those in power are beholden to the very forces that sustain the status quo. Progress is stalled until the majority of people reach a breaking point—when fear and hate no longer manipulate them into voting against their own interests.
The truth is that even those who seem diametrically opposed share the same fundamental needs. Only by recognizing this shared reality and refusing to be divided will we see meaningful change. It’s a wake-up call waiting to happen, but until then, the cycle persists.
Hold everything. What am I missing here? All the problems and hypocrisies highlighted here are caused by the system, i.e., Congress being owned by their donors. Nothing will change until money does not rule. Rule by money? I think that is called oligarchy. Get the people to vote for oligarchs by demonizing those others. Hate/fear has always sold well in politics.
People didn't vote for the same reason Luigi did what he did. It doesn't matter if we vote democrats into office with all the hopes that they might fix something. We have been lied to too many times. Nothing changes. My worthless Senator is a "d" who does and says nothing year after year except do the bidding of the corporations . If I contact her about an issue I get an auto, instant reply thanking me for my contact and that's the end of it. She does and says nothing else, ever. She just got re-elected for the 4th time.
Well said, Harvey Kravetz. I totally agree with you.
Young people in my circle opted out when they realized how many democrats were just as corrupt as republicans. Taking money from lobbyists etc to maintain their seats and the status quo. They were seen as cowards and fakes. Moving to the center just sealed the deal. Progressives could have brought Harris a win and that was a mistake. Bernie nailed it. Many want to go LEFT with more support for workers, the elderly, school kids, and those left behind. Democrat politicians proved they aren't even trying to achieve universal healthcare. Guess how Americans feel about that?! See: Luigi.
"Having a politics based on values and putting those values into action and being consistent: values of unity and decency and social justice and justice, racial justice, climate justice, solidarity, human rights, and the rule of law. And some of the foreign policy did not support that, did not seem to support that. And that alienated people."
I hope that this pertains to Gaza.