The Road to Unfreedom: Russia, Europe, America

By Timothy Snyder

Book Overview

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - From the author of On Tyranny comes a stunning new chronicle of the rise of authoritarianism from Russia to Europe and America.

"A brilliant analysis of our time."--Karl Ove Knausgaard, The New Yorker

With the end of the Cold War, the victory of liberal democracy seemed final. Observers declared the end of history, confident in a peaceful, globalized future. This faith was misplaced. Authoritarianism returned to Russia, as Vladimir Putin found fascist ideas that could be used to justify rule by the wealthy. In the 2010s, it has spread from east to west, aided by Russian warfare in Ukraine and cyberwar in Europe and the United States.

Russia found allies among nationalists, oligarchs, and radicals everywhere, and its drive to dissolve Western institutions, states, and values found resonance within the West itself. The rise of populism, the British vote against the EU, and the election of Donald Trump were all Russian goals, but their achievement reveals the vulnerability of Western societies.

In this forceful and unsparing work of contemporary history, based on vast research as well as personal reporting, Snyder goes beyond the headlines to expose the true nature of the threat to democracy and law. To understand the challenge is to see, and perhaps renew, the fundamental political virtues offered by tradition and demanded by the future. By revealing the stark choices before us--between equality or oligarchy, individuality or totality, truth and falsehood--Snyder restores our understanding of the basis of our way of life, offering a way forward in a time of terrible uncertainty.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0525574468
• ISBN13: 9780525574460
• Release Date: April 2018
• Publisher: Tim Duggan Books
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 1.42 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.3" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Another excellent warning from Prof Snyder about authoritarian rule

Timothy Snyder gives a deep history of the autocratic mindset and why such regimes always fail society. The Road To Unfreedom provides a clear understanding of the ideology underpinning far right movements, and a warning for any country pursuing such a path.

Untrustworthy Research and Book

Within the first six pages, Snyder proves to be nothing more than a liberal conspiracy theorist shaped by the anti-Trump movement. He politicizes what should be a non-partisan book. I could not in good conscience read the next 270 pages without always having to fact check any claims stated as fact. It’s shameful but something that is now commonplace with liberal and progressive authors: “We (the authors) alone know and tell you (the masses) the truth, you should all sit down and listen.”

Fantastic MUST READ TO GUIDE US TO SURVIVE THE TURMOIL OF TODAY

Very eye-opening for today's world