Welcome to the Era of Rising Democratic Fascism: Trump, Putin, Europe, and the Assault On Western Democracy and the International Order

Fascism comes in many forms; if Hitler and genocide can be one end of the spectrum, there’s plenty of room for fascism that falls far short of that standard, eschewing pogroms and other forms of mass violence, forms of fascism that include what we are seeing now: a democratic fascism empowered by populations, media, and elections that rewards and empowers those willing to feed off division and fear as it overwhelms norms, dissenting minorities, and even the law. As this force rises, the losers are the liberal democratic governments that have been dominant since the end of WWII; now, it is no longer a question of if, but how fast we will see the unraveling of the post-WWII U.S.-led international order. After defining democracy and fascism, historian and policy/political expert Brian Frydenborg enters a discussion of the present and the risk it poses for the future, whether Trumpism in America or other forms of democratic fascism spreading elsewhere. Includes new Preface & Afterword.