Anne Applebaum Says Trump 2.0 Could Be Good News For Dictators

In 'Twilight of Democracy,' Anne Applebaum explores the rise of authoritarianism and nationalism in modern democracies. She argues that political systems with radically simple beliefs are inherently appealing, especially when they benefit loyal adherents to the exclusion of others. The book examines how despotic leaders rely on allies, bureaucrats, and media figures to support their rule and how modern authoritarian parties offer new paths to wealth and power. Applebaum draws on historical examples, including Stalinist central Europe and Nazi Germany, and investigates contemporary phenomena such as conspiracy theories, social media, and nostalgia. She warns that democracies are fragile and their survival depends on daily choices made by both elites and ordinary people.

This book provides a detailed and documented portrait of the Gulag, a vast array of Soviet concentration camps that held millions of political and criminal prisoners. Applebaum examines the origins of the Gulag under Lenin, its expansion under Stalin, and its eventual collapse. The book delves into the daily lives of prisoners, including their arrests, transportation, working and living conditions, and the impact of World War II on the camps. It also explores the cultural and social aspects of life within the Gulag, as well as its legacy and why it has remained relatively obscure in historical memory. The work is based on extensive research, including Soviet-era archives and personal accounts from survivors[1][4][5].

In 'Autocracy, Inc.', Anne Applebaum provides a detailed analysis of how modern autocracies operate, highlighting their sophisticated networks of kleptocratic financial structures, surveillance technologies, and professional propagandists. These autocratic regimes, spanning countries like China, Russia, and Iran, collaborate across borders to maintain power and undermine democracy. Applebaum argues that international condemnation and economic sanctions are ineffective against these autocrats and calls for democracies to fundamentally reorient their policies to combat this new threat. The book serves as both a historical investigation and a practical guide for defending democratic values against the rising tide of autocracy.