BOOK REVIEW | NON FICTION
Discover What Threatens Democracy to Preserve It
By GUILLERMO BRUNO | FEB. 4, 2017
ON TYRANNY: TWENTY LESSONS FROM THE TWENTIETH CENTURY by Timothy Snyder (New York: Tim Duggan Books, 2017), 126 pp.
This book “On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century” by Timothy Snyder took inspiration from the outcome of the 2016 United States presidential election. Snyder, a professor of History at Yale, informs us that if we want to keep democracy, we must learn to find its weaknesses and threats to act accordingly. Since democracy does not protect itself, preserving it is a constant job which requires us to get involved, to be determined to defend our rights and to fight for the values we believe in and care for. In the twentieth century, there are several examples where democracy served as a means to allow totalitarian regimes –such as Nazism, Fascism, and Communism– to accede to power. This book reminds us that those regimes have inflicted mankind untold sufferings. However, as Maya Angelou says “… History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again…” Therefore, read this book. But first, let me explore some of these lessons to support my conclusion.
The author recalls that after the German elections of 1932, which allowed Adolf Hitler to form his government, the next step was “anticipatory obedience,” but what does “anticipatory obedience” mean? When a new situation appears, rather than questioning and resisting it, people accept it voluntarily, it is an act of submission to both the new situation and its leaders. This behavior is a political tragedy, so “do not obey in advance.” Institutions do not protect themselves; they need us to defend them. Assuming that the rulers who came to power through institutions cannot destroy the same institutions that allowed them to be in power is a big mistake; thus “defend institutions.” Supporting the multi-party system is a must. In a democracy, there is no room for political parties that suppress their rivals or make life impossible to their opponents; therefore “beware the one-party state.” If you see swastikas or other signs of hatred, do not be indifferent; on the contrary, remove them yourself and give an example so that others do the same. That is why we must “take responsibility for the face of the world.” "After Germany invaded Poland in 1939, Hitler’s personal lawyer, Hans Frank, became the governor-general of occupied Poland." In those days, the regime murdered millions of Jews and other Polish citizens. A new regime always needs professionals. If a professional “confuses his ethics with the emotions of the moment, he can find himself doing things that previously he might have thought unimaginable;” again “remember professional ethics.” Armed groups degrade a political order and then transform it. Violent groups such as the “Iron Guard” in Romania or the “Arrow Cross” in Hungary used to intimidate their rivals. The Nazi Party had paramilitaries such as the SA and the SS. People and parties who wish to undermine democracy and the rule of law create violent organizations; hence “be wary of paramilitaries.” Do not obey immoral orders and those that are against your conscience, your principles or values. Authoritarian regimes usually have a “special riot police force” to disperse citizens who seek to protest, and a “secret state police force” whose assignments include the murder of dissenters or others designated as “enemies.” The NKVD in the Soviet Union of 1937-38 or the SS in the Nazi Germany of 1941-45 were forces of the latter kind involved in the great atrocities of the twentieth century. In both cases, they counted on police forces and soldiers. For these facts, “be reflective if you must be armed.” It may seem strange to do or say something different, but without that reaction to oppression, there is no freedom. Remember Rosa Parks. The moment you set a precedent, the status quo is broken and others will follow your example; so “stand out.” Professor Snyder devotes several of his lessons to think of the power of small decisions in the face of eroding democracy. “The minor choices we make are themselves a kind of vote,” he argues. “Our words and gestures, or their absence, count very much.” Make an effort to separate yourself from the Internet and read good books. Learn to discern, to know the difference between right and wrong, good and bad, fair and unfair and their consequences. By and large, totalitarian regimes distort the scope and content of words and expressions. We find a clear example of this in Hitler’s language; then “be kind to our language.” "To ignore the facts is to abandon freedom." If nothing is true, no one can criticize power because there is no basis upon which to do so, thus “believe in truth.” “Figure things out for yourself… The person who investigates is also the citizen who builds. The leader who dislikes the investigators is a potential tyrant,” so “investigate.” The author encourages us to “make eye contact and small talk,” it is part of being a citizen. “People who were living in fear of repression remembered how their neighbors treated them.” The author calls for a “corporeal politics,” this implies "voting with paper ballots that can be counted and recounted; face-to-face interaction and not email; marching not online petitioning." “Power wants your body softening in your chair and your emotions dissipating on a screen. Get outside. Put your body in unfamiliar places with unfamiliar people.” According to Hannah Arendt, totalitarianism was not the creation of an all-powerful state, but “the erasure of the difference between public and private life”. "We are free if we exercise control over what people know about us and how they come to know it”. That is why we have to “establish a private life.” Hitler’s language explicitly undermined all and any opposition. “The people” always meant “some people and not others;” “encounters” were always “struggles” and any attempt by free people to understand the world in a different way was “defamation” of the leader; so “listen for dangerous words.” The Founding Father designed the United States political system “to mitigate the consequences of its real imperfections, not to celebrate its imaginary perfection,” so “be calm when the unthinkable arrives.” Today, “Americans… are no wiser than the Europeans who saw democracy yield to Fascism, Nazism, or Communism in the twentieth century.” The only advantage the American System has is that it might learn from their experiences of the past. However, if everything becomes against democracy, “be as courageous as you can.”
In conclusion, I highly recommend "On Tyranny...," a brief, clear, and a concise work based on history and impregnated with multiple solutions for the differences of today. Perhaps, it is high time we read again "Democracy in America" by Alexis de Tocqueville. It was he who after seeing the failed attempts at democratic government in his native France, visited America and studied its stable and prosperous democracy to gain insights into how it worked… In the unlikeliest of places, hope and reconciliation can still be found.
Guillermo Bruno
Guillermo Bruno was born in Argentina. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) from the School of Legal Sciences, Universidad del Salvador (USAL), and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Air and Space Law from the Instituto Nacional de Derecho Aeronáutico y Espacial (INDAE). He is a professor of law, a legal writer, a defender of animal rights, and a songwriter.
RECENSIÓN DE LIBRO | NO FICCIÓN | ESPAÑOL
Descubre lo que amenaza a la democracia para preservarla
Por GUILLERMO BRUNO | FEB. 4, 2017
SOBRE LA TIRANÍA: VEINTE LECCIONES DEL SIGLO VEINTE de Timothy Snyder (New York: Tim Duggan Books, 2017), 126 pp.
Este libro "Sobre la tiranía: veinte lecciones del siglo XX" de Timothy Snyder se inspiró en el resultado de las elecciones presidenciales de Estados Unidos de 2016. Snyder, un profesor de Historia en Yale, nos informa que si queremos mantener la democracia, debemos aprender a encontrar sus debilidades y amenazas para actuar en consecuencia. Como la democracia no se protege a sí misma, preservarla es un trabajo constante que requiere que nos involucremos, que estemos decididos a defender nuestros derechos y a luchar por los valores en los que creemos. En el siglo XX, hay varios ejemplos en los que la democracia sirvió como medio para permitir que los regímenes totalitarios -como el nazismo, el fascismo y el comunismo- accedieran al poder. Este libro nos recuerda que esos regímenes han infligido a la humanidad sufrimientos indecibles. Sin embargo, como dice Maya Angelou “... La historia, pese a su desgarrador dolor, no puede ser desandada, pero si se la enfrenta con coraje, no es necesario volver a repetirla...” Por lo tanto, lee este libro. Pero primero, déjame explorar algunas de estas lecciones para avalar mi conclusión.
El autor recuerda que después de las elecciones alemanas de 1932, que le permitieron a Adolfo Hitler formar su gobierno, el siguiente paso fue la "obediencia anticipatoria", pero ¿qué significa "obediencia anticipada"? Cuando aparece una nueva situación, en lugar de cuestionarla y resistirla, las personas la aceptan voluntariamente, es un acto de sumisión tanto a la nueva situación como a sus líderes. Este comportamiento es una tragedia política, por lo que "no obedezcas de antemano". Las instituciones no se protegen a sí mismas; ellas necesitan que las defendamos. Asumir que los gobernantes que llegaron al poder a través de las instituciones no pueden destruirlas es un gran error; por lo tanto, "defiende las instituciones". Apoyar el sistema multipartidario es imprescindible. En una democracia, no hay lugar para que los partidos políticos supriman a sus rivales o les hagan la vida imposible a sus oponentes; por lo tanto, "ten cuidado con el Estado de partido único". Si ves esvásticas u otras señales de odio, no seas indiferente; por el contrario, quítalas tú mismo y sé en un ejemplo para que otros te imiten. Es por esto que debemos "asumir responsabilidad ante el mundo". "Después de que Alemania invadió Polonia en 1939, el abogado personal de Hitler, Hans Frank, se convirtió en el gobernador general de la Polonia ocupada". En aquellos días, el régimen asesinó a millones de judíos y otros ciudadanos polacos. Un nuevo régimen siempre necesita profesionales. Si un profesional "confunde su ética con las emociones del momento, puede encontrarse a sí mismo haciendo cosas que antes podría haber pensado inimaginables", entonces "recuerda la ética profesional". Los grupos armados degradan un orden político y luego lo transforman. Grupos violentos como la "Guardia de Hierro" en Rumania o la "Cruz de la Flecha" en Hungría solían intimidar a sus rivales. El Partido Nazi tenía paramilitares como las SA y las SS. Las personas y los partidos que desean socavar la democracia y el estado de derecho crean organizaciones violentas; por lo tanto, "desconfía de los paramilitares". No obedezca las órdenes inmorales y aquellas que están en contra de tu conciencia, tus principios o valores. Los regímenes autoritarios generalmente tienen una "fuerza antidisturbios especial" para dispersar a los ciudadanos que pretenden protestar, y una "fuerza policial estatal secreta" cuyas asignaciones incluyen el asesinato de disidentes u otros designados como "enemigos". El NKVD en la Unión Soviética de 1937-38 o las SS en la Alemania nazi de 1941-45 fueron fuerzas de este último tipo, involucradas en las grandes atrocidades del siglo XX. En ambos casos, contaron con fuerzas policiales y soldados. Para estos hechos, "reflexiona si debes estar armado". Puede parecer extraño hacer o decir algo diferente, pero sin esa reacción a la opresión, no hay libertad. Recuerda a Rosa Parks. En el momento en que estableces un precedente, el status quo se rompe y otros seguirán tu ejemplo; así que "destácate". El profesor Snyder dedica varias de sus lecciones a pensar en el poder de las pequeñas decisiones frente a la erosión de la democracia. "Las elecciones menores que hacemos son en sí mismas una especie de voto", argumenta. "Nuestras palabras y gestos, o su ausencia cuentan mucho". Haz un esfuerzo para separarte de Internet y lee buenos libros. Aprende a discernir, a conocer la diferencia entre lo correcto y lo incorrecto, lo bueno y lo malo, lo justo y lo injusto y sus consecuencias. En general, los regímenes totalitarios distorsionan el alcance y contenido de las palabras y expresiones. Encontramos un claro ejemplo de esto en el lenguaje de Hitler; luego "sé amable con nuestro lenguaje". "Ignorar los hechos es abandonar la libertad". Si nada es verdad, nadie puede criticar al poder porque no hay ninguna base sobre la cual hacerlo, por lo tanto, "cree en la verdad". "Descubre las cosas por ti mismo... La persona que investiga también es el ciudadano que construye. El líder a quien no le gustan los investigadores es un potencial tirano, entonces "investiga". El autor nos alienta a "hacer contacto visual y hablar en voz baja", es parte de ser un ciudadano. "Las personas que vivían con miedo a la represión recordaban cómo las trataban sus vecinos". El autor exige una "política corpórea", ella implica "votar con boletas de papel que se puedan contar y volver a contar, interactuar cara a cara y no al correo electrónico”; hay que marchar, no peticionar en línea. "El poder quiere que tu cuerpo se suavice en tu silla y tus emociones se disipen en una pantalla. Sal afuera. Pon tu cuerpo en lugares desconocidos, con personas desconocidas". Según Hannah Arendt, el totalitarismo no fue la creación de un estado todopoderoso, sino "la eliminación de la diferencia entre la vida pública y la privada". "Somos libres si ejercemos control sobre lo que la gente sabe de nosotros y cómo llegan a conocerlo". Es por eso que tenemos que "establecer una vida privada". El lenguaje de Hitler socavó explícitamente toda oposición. "La gente" siempre significaba "algunas personas y no otras"; "encuentros" siempre eran "luchas" y cualquier intento por parte de las personas libres de entender el mundo de otra manera era "difamación" al líder; de modo que "escucha las palabras peligrosas". Los Padres Fundadores diseñaron el sistema político de Estados Unidos "para mitigar las consecuencias de sus imperfecciones reales, no para celebrar su perfección imaginaria”, así que “mantén la calma cuando llegue lo impensable". Hoy, "los estadounidenses... no son más sabios que los europeos que vieron a la democracia rendirse ante el fascismo, el nazismo o el comunismo en el siglo XX." La única ventaja que tiene el sistema estadounidense es que podría aprender de sus experiencias del pasado. Sin embargo, si todo se vuelve en contra de la democracia, "sé tan valiente como puedas".
En conclusión, recomiendo "Sobre la tiranía…", un trabajo breve, claro y conciso basado en la historia e impregnado de múltiples soluciones para superar las diferencias del hoy. Tal vez, sea hora de releer "La democracia en América" de Alexis de Tocqueville. Fue él quien después de ver los intentos fallidos de los gobiernos democráticos en su Francia natal, visitó Estados Unidos y estudió esa democracia estable y próspera para obtener información sobre cómo funcionaba… En el lugar menos probable, la esperanza y la reconciliación aún pueden encontrarse.
Guillermo Bruno
Guillermo Bruno nació en Argentina. Es abogado, egresado de la Facultad de Ciencias Jurídicas de la USAL (Universidad del Salvador) y realizó un posgrado en la Especialización en Derecho Aeronáutico y Espacial en el INDAE (Instituto Nacional de Derecho Aeronáutico y Espacial). Es profesor de derecho, escritor, defensor del derecho de los animales y autor y compositor.
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20 FLAMES LIGHT UP THE FIERCE URGENCY OF NOW
Reviewed in the United States on September 21, 2017
This is a book perfectly suited to our time. It warns us that our fragile democracy can slip out of our grasp, almost over night, like a nightmare. Because we are busy, and easily distracted, the author boils down the warning signs into 20, with some helpful suggestions on what each of us can do when we recognize one of these 20 looming in our lives. For example, living in a "made up" digital world out of touch with reality in front of us, makes it easy for a would-be tyrant to fool us and declare what is "fake". What we can do is to firmly set aside our I-phones and other "devices" and read, talk to people of differing views, subscribe to newsprint, verify what sounds unlikely, etc. In other words, "pay attention." Another example: tyranny thrives on terror and crisis. Would-be tyrants use these situations as opportunities to remove our liberties. Our best defense is to remain calm and skeptical when we are told to give up our liberties for the sake of more security. This is an old trick - get wise to it .Snyder's chapter titled Stand Out particularly struck a chord. He begins with an excellent look-back to WWII, and how Churchill led the British to oppose Hitler, rather than following popular sentiment. In my own case, when Trump was elected, our neighbors formed a small group called Alameda4Impeachment. In the last 9 months, we have diligently "born witness" in our own town (and in 15 others) - getting resolutions passed urging impeachment of the president. In our own town of Alameda each of us had to stand up before the City Council, and for three minutes explain our concerns about Trump, argue that our country was in danger, and point out that council members take an oath to defend the Constitution. In Alameda and the other 15 cities so far, many people join us and speak up to urge impeachment, often people who have never done this before. Council members generally vote for the resolution, often unanimously, but many in the community think this effort is silly, a waste of time, or "completely useless." . Even some friends said this to us. Nevertheless we have persisted, and we know exactly what it feels like to "Stand Out". It takes courage, and a willingness to be laughed at. The threats and snarls from the "Trump base" come too, but they are to be expected. I was grateful to Snyder for reminding me that this is an essential part of fighting tyranny. Stand Out.In most cases, I found Snyder's book profound. I was grateful for his brevity - who needs more words than are required to get a point across? Every once in a while, he argued a point too briefly, or unconvincingly. For example, he argues that books are preferred to TV for news. I think this is too categorical. For example, the current Ken Burns PBS series on Vietnam is instructive in a way a book never could be. On MSNBC I watched Brian Williams interview with Snyder, resulting in my purchase of this book. Yes, one must watch with a discerning ear, but so too with reading, including the New York Times (which performed a terrible disservice to the Clinton campaign throughout the election, apparently even publishing data that originated in Breitbart news. SHAMEFUL).I DO believe we are on the brink of Tyranny, and that Trump behaves in the way intended to shock our sensibilities. Some among us are currently surviving by "normalizing" Trump, claiming he is just a particularly eccentric character among our many Presidents, and that "our institutions" will keep him in check. Others are psychologically numbed by Trump's repeated assaults on their sense of decency, and they retreat to travel plans, books, house and art projects, or devote themselves to all-consuming local causes - they are "waiting out the storm." I hope they get what they are waiting for - but I am dubious that waiting will work. Still others classify Trump as an annoying pest, best ignored. These friends watch a lot of sports, and declare themselves "a-political". Hannah Arendt talked of the "banality of evil." Tyranny happens while we are watching sports, working out at the gym, volunteering night and day at all kinds of good causes, hopping a plane to Paris - tuning out the NEWS.Obviously, life has to go on. Snyder is right that we must remain calm. But folks, I do believe there is a "fierce urgency of now." As the current saying goes, "stay woke!" Trump is NOT normal. Impeachment IS normal. It is the normal constitutional response to exactly what is going on right now. Some of you are bending over laughing when you see our impeachment signs. You are progressives, but you are "not there yet." Please read Timothy Snyder - it might wipe the laugh right off your face. And we need your help.
Reviewed in the United States on September 21, 2017
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