As America faces the looming threat of Donald Trump’s return to power, Ruth Ben-Ghiat’s Strongmen has never been more urgent or relevant. This incisive analysis of authoritarianism provides a blueprint for recognizing the tactics used by strongman leaders to subvert democracy and amass unchecked power. From Mussolini to Putin and Trump, Ben-Ghiat masterfully charts the strategies of these figures: exploiting fear, normalizing corruption, weaponizing propaganda, and dismantling democratic norms from within.
The book is both a chilling reminder of the fragility of democracy and a guide for resistance. Ben-Ghiat emphasizes that authoritarianism doesn’t succeed without public complicity and institutional failure—and she outlines the ways individuals and institutions can push back.
As the U.S. navigates an era rife with disinformation, erosion of trust, and blatant attacks on democratic principles, Strongmen offers clarity and action. It’s a must-read for anyone who values democracy and is determined to prevent history from repeating itself.
With the stakes as high as they’ve ever been, this book equips readers not just to understand the authoritarian playbook but to fight it with courage and resolve.
