Summary Of Twilight Of Democracy By Anne Applebaum

In her book, Twilight of Democracy: The Seductive Lure of Authoritarianism, Anne Applebaum delves into the history of authoritarianism and the conditions that promote it today. She explains how countries now have the conditions that promote authoritarianism, how clercs and new forms of media contribute to these conditions, and how conditions in the United States parallel those of some authoritarian states. Applebaum starts by discussing the conditions for authoritarianism that have been seen in a variety of countries across the world. Applebaum states that around a third of a country’s population has an “authoritarian predisposition.” Authoritarianism appeals to those who are scared of complexity and change. Since they have a fear of people

Although I have not experienced this myself, the idea is visible in today’s political climate. Many far-right Americans are concerned about LGBTQ marriage, cultural differences, and immigration. It is clear from looking at social media that many people on both sides of the political spectrum are falling into this train of thought. They seem as if they want to “restore” America to a perfect time that never quite existed; a time that the Republican party’s vision promises. The most important figures in the structure of authoritarianism are people who Applebaum calls “clercs.” These clercs, “use sophisticated legal language. [and] argue that breaking the constitution or twisting the law is the right thing to do.” (Applebaum 16) In other words, they need loyal members to justify the takeover of an authoritarian regime by manipulating the public to think that the leaders are justified in their actions. These people are highly skilled in public relations, educated, effectively manipulative, and have media

These theories “explain away complex phenomena. [and] offer the believer the satisfying sense of having special, privileged access to the truth.” (Applebaum 45) This also gives the party tremendous power; the more people believe a party’s rhetoric, the more fearful they become, and the more willing they are to support the party that campaigns on “fixing” these fictitious issues. I have seen these tactics used in American media. Former President Trump and his allies have directly spread conspiracy theories and spewed harmful rhetoric across many social media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram, as well as on live television. They also make excuses to justify their behavior, citing their conspiracies as the basis of their questionable decisions. For this reason, our new media platforms play an important role in authoritarian regimes. Because of new social media sites such as Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram, among countless others, people now have access to more information faster than ever before. As of January 2024, 97% of Americans over the age of 18 have a smartphone of some kind, and I would imagine that the rates of smartphone ownership are similar in many other countries as