The Morning Edition ‘The cult of the leader’: The professor who left America says fascism is flourishing
Sep 14, 2025
In this vibrant discussion, Jason Stanley, a philosophy professor at the University of Toronto and author of 'Erasing History,' shares his insights on the troubling rise of fascism. He argues that U.S. political climate resembles historical fascist regimes, exacerbated by American exceptionalism. Stanley explores the emergence of a 'cult of the leader' in modern politics, the dangerous 'great replacement theory,' and global perspectives on authoritarianism. He emphasizes the need for civil action to protect democracy, drawing examples from Germany's political unity against far-right movements.
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Family Move As Political Protest
- Jason Stanley moved his family to Canada to protest the US political climate and raise children away from rising authoritarianism.
- He describes the move as a moral and practical step to live in a freer country.
Fascism Fits Beyond Mass Atrocities
- Jason Stanley argues that the US matches core elements of fascism, like great replacement and blood-and-soil nationalism.
- He warns that defining fascism only by death camps misses early authoritarian stages that mirror current US trends.
Cult Of Leader And Emergency Powers
- Stanley identifies a developing cult of the leader and repeated emergency claims as fascist strategies in the US.
- He links deportations, loyalty-based recruitment, and civil-service purges to classic authoritarian consolidation.
