How Democracies Perish [Hardcover]

Jean Franýois Revel (Author), William Byron (Translator)

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: French

Product Details

• Hardcover: 376 pages
• Publisher: Doubleday & Company, Inc.; First American Edition edition (January 1, 1984)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385191200
• ISBN-13: 978-0385191203
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #637,737 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Dated but pointed, September 23, 2001

By 

Chad M. Brick (Ann Arbor, Michigan USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How Democracies Perish (Hardcover)

I found that this book contained a number important points that we may be forgetting now that the Cold War is fading into history. In particular, Revel focuses on how the totalitarian Soviet government had a great number of advantages over the western democracies, and how these advantages were used time and time again to ensure small but inevitable victories over the west. Most important were the Soviet's abilities to avoid media coverage of, and internal and external criticism for, its acts; its ability to embark on courses of actions which are not politically expedient, but will bear fruit decades hence; and its ability to be the aggressor.

Such advantages lead the Soviets to a number of small victories over the fifty-year war. Revel correctly pointed out that the west really had few victories over the Soviets before the communist economy finally crumbled a decade ago. For example, the Cuban missile crisis and the Korean war were merely draws for the west, precisely because everything returned to how it was before. Yet Vietnam and Poland were clear victories for the Soviets.

This is a solid work that accurately points out some of the weaknesses of democracies when fighting against totalitarians, and just how close we came to losing the struggle against communism.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enormously important, November 15, 2009

By 

Peter T. Wolf "Gilded Age Lover" (lake forest, ca United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: How Democracies Perish (Paperback)

I read this book when it first came out and am now re-reading it after all these years. Not only is it wonderfully written with biting satire and clever analogies and turns of phrases, it is just as relevant today as then. If you are not old enough to remember the middle 70's through the early 80's then this book will shock you with its exposition of the craven cowardice and stupidity of the Europeans and their governments in the face of Soviet expansionism. America comes in for its share of stupidity but it's Europe ( remember this book was written by a Frenchman) that is deservedly held up to scathing review. The fact that the Soviet Union collapsed was by no means because of European help. This book will make that bluntly obvious. On the contrary, they fought tooth and nail against every American effort and iniative to rescue them from the closing jaws of the Kremlin. This makes Reagan's triumph even more incredible. Rare in history has a civilization struggled so mightily against its rescuer in the face of clear and present danger. This history will amaze and sicken you.
That there were European writers then who saw so clearly the dangers and who managed to ward off the disease of surrender, puts them in a unique light. THAT is why this book and Revell's others must be read.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Democracy's failures, June 26, 2000

By 

"kalspriggs" (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How Democracies Perish (Paperback)

This book was excellant. I enjoyed the contrary veiws. Having a contrary thought every now and then is very refreshing. Like his other book, Totalitarian Temptation, this one gives a lot of thought on the problems that liberty, freedom and equality bring. I recommend it for debate, high school and college, and suggest it to anyone who feels that no government is perfect. It tends to be wordy, but that almost makes it better, or at least, gives many different ways to interpet his ideas. His arguements at first appear opposite of American beleifs, but if you really concentrate and want to read it, it will give you an excellant understanding of goverment.