Authoritarianism Past and Future

On this episode of The Open Mind, we're delighted to welcome Yale University philosopher Jason Stanley, author of the edifying and essential Random House volume “How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us and Them.” Stanley told Dana Milbank of the Washington Post that the Trump rendition of these tactics “uses emotion to circumvent reason, to overwhelm reason, wanting us to get the situation in which there's such fear and suspicion that the only happiness is winning over his enemies.” 

These are Jason Stanley's words and he added in an interview with Vox, “I think of fascism as a method of politics. It's rhetoric, a way of running for power. Of course that's connected to fascist ideology because fascist ideology centers on power. But I really see fascism as a technique to gain power.” At this year's philosophy conference for high school and undergraduate students at Stony Brook University I was so pleased to interview Jason and eager to continue that exchange.