Ruth Ben-Ghiat
Autor de Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present
Sobre El Autor
Ruth Ben-Ghiat is an internationally acclaimed historian, speaker, and political commentator for CNN, the Washington Post, and other publications. She is a. processor of history and Italian studies at New York University and lives in New York City.
Obras de Ruth Ben-Ghiat
Etiquetado
Conocimiento común
- Género
- female
- País (para mapa)
- United States of America
Miembros
Reseñas
También Puede Gustarte
Estadísticas
- Obras
- 8
- Miembros
- 316
- Popularidad
- #74,771
- Valoración
- 4.1
- Reseñas
- 8
- ISBNs
- 24
- Idiomas
- 2
The book's chapters follow the arc of a strongman's career, alternating between the stories of her subjects. In the first of three main sections, the great man ascends to rule. Getting to Power came via Facist Takeovers in the early 20th Century, more commonly Military Coups later on, and today we have New Authoritarian Ascents - elections now often bring the new ruler to power. Control of the news media helps here.
Once in place the authoritarian employs his Tools of Rule to stay, per the second main section. In A Greater Nation the populace must be told that the greatness of their nation requires a return to a golden past, via the strongman, making America - or Italy, or Russia - great again. Colonies are wanted here. Lest people miss the point, Propaganda is essential to remind them of what they should think. Mussolini had radio; Trump has Twitter. The strongman's fitness for rule is underlined by showing his Virility. He boasts of his prowess with women; his bare-chested body is displayed for the crowd's admiration if that will work - Putin, also Mussolini before him. The strongman usually wants to enjoy his virility, regardless of anyone's consent. Here, Donald Trump could never (or never yet?) equal Mussolini and Muammar Gaddfi, both of whom had entire government departments supplying them with women, and warning the women to stay silent about what happened. Corruption is a must, to pay off underlings and cronies - and enrich the strongman himself, of course. This happens even as promises to eradicate already-existing corruption are given. Mussolini literally said he would drain the swamp, meaning the Pontine Marshes near Rome. The actual prosperity of the country is nothing next to the authoritarian's wants.
The last part of this second section concerns Violence. To me, this sickening chapter feels like the heart of the book. The corrupt state cannot exist without brutality against anyone who fights back. Ben-Ghiat outlines the torture and murder visited upon Pinochet's opponents, then goes on to the other nations of her story, ending with the Trump regime's ICE and CBP. Don't read this chapter unless you're ready for stories almost too terrible to bear.
The third main section is Losing Power. Resistance is always a possibility, if at the cost of the resisters' lives. Resistance may be by speech, or by bombs or guns aimed at the strongman. Finally, Endings come eventually to all, if only a peaceful death in old age, as was Franco's lot. Mussolini and Hitler died just one day apart, by murder and suicide. That many strongman stories end unhappily for the strongman is little consolation for the damage they do.
Ben-Ghiat supplies footnotes and an extensive bibliography.
The book shows that these stories are all, drearily, horribly, the same story. Strongmen all use the same playbook, differing only in the amount of damage they do. If only every citizen in every country could learn this lesson in time.… (más)