https://www.readings.com.au/product/978 ... 1760645311
I read this book last night (only 140 pages, a long essay really). The basic thesis is that the parallels between the 1920s and 30s and the last two decades are impossible to ignore. Nothing that hasn't already been widely referenced i suppose but it was a good read largely due to its length, which is basically one sitting. Consequently, it contained a certain shock impact. Of course none of this means necessarily that we're locked into an inevitable world war 3, nor does it mean that the emergence of far right strong men will continue unchecked all the way to Dachau...but then again it might.
I did agree with the rough conclusion that unless you resolve the economic conditions that are impoverishing ever expanding numbers of people, fascist solutions will maintain their momentum. The only way to do that is to radically reform capitalism and global resource distribution, which to me seems next to impossible, but who knows...
The point, i guess, is that even if Trump loses this election, and he fails to rally any type of serious coup (and they are probably the most likely scenarios), the people attending MAGA events will not just fade away. Their numbers will grow as their economic and material conditions worsen. This is the real lesson from the 1930s. Without radical reform, a democrat win in November starts to look just a bit like a temporary reprieve. Scarily, whoever crawls to the top of the shit heap to take over is almost certainly going to exceed Trump in any measure of competence imaginable.
My conclusion is that Trump is really not the problem.
