Fascism Book Summary - Fascism Book explained in key points
Listen to the Intro
00:00

Fascism summary

Madeleine Albright

A Warning

4.3 (82 ratings)
26 mins
Table of Contents

    Fascism
    Summary of 9 key ideas

    Audio & text in the Blinkist app
    Key idea 1 of 9

    Fascism is not a political ideology but rather an approach to seizing and holding power.

    “Fascism.” The word gets thrown around a lot. In this online forum, you’ll hear it applied to police officers; in that newspaper column, it’s used to describe feminists. Elsewhere, the people referred to might be vegans or bureaucrats.

    So what does the word really mean? What is a “fascist”?

    Fascism is ideologically vague and can involve the politics of the right and the left.

    In 1920s Italy, an early hotbed of fascism, there were fascists on the left arguing for dictatorial rule in the interests of the working class, and fascists on the right who argued for an authoritarian government in which state and companies work closely together.  

    In Germany, the National Socialists, or Nazis, combined promises of higher pensions and better education with their anti-Semitic propaganda.

    Today, governments exhibiting fascist tendencies range across the ideological spectrum, from socialism in Venezuela to conservative nationalism in Hungary.

    So what a fascist is isn’t the most revealing question. It’s far more informative to ask which characteristics fascism displays.

    Fascism draws strength from an upset or angry public – whether that anger results from a lost war or lost territory, a loss of national pride or a loss of jobs, or any combination of these factors. The most successful fascist leaders have a charisma that enables them to connect emotionally with the crowd, converting public anger into a sense of public solidarity and purpose.

    Once in power, fascists consolidate authority by controlling information. Hitler’s regime ruthlessly propagandized – Mein Kampf, Hitler’s own book, was studied like the Bible, while radio addresses enabled the Führer to broadcast his hate-fuelled oratory to 80 million people at once. Today, authoritarian governments such as Russia and Turkey spread disinformation online and seek to quash media outlets that criticize them.

    A fascist normally claims to act and speak on behalf of a whole nation, or an entire group, and draws a dividing line between that group and outsiders, such as the Jews in Nazi Germany or the class traitors in Soviet Russia.

    Finally, fascist leaders expect the crowd to back them up. Unlike other tyrants, they are not wary of the population and don’t try to calm the crowd; rather, they strive to stir it up.

    Next, let’s take a look at how fascists come to power.

    Want to see all full key ideas from Fascism?

    Key ideas in Fascism

    More knowledge in less time
    Read or listen
    Read or listen
    Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
    Find your next read
    Find your next read
    Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
    Shortcasts
    Shortcasts New
    We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.

    What is Fascism about?

    Fascism (2018) examines fascism, both as a historical phenomenon and a present-day threat. It explores the factors that lead to fascist governments as well as the common threads connecting them, while also cautioning citizens against complacency. Even today, there are many reasons to fear for the health of democracy.

    Best quote from Fascism

    A fascist who launches his career by being voted into office will have a claim to legitimacy that others do not.

    —Madeleine Albright
    example alt text

    Who should read Fascism?

    • History buffs curious about the origins of fascism
    • Citizens concerned about the state of political debate and government in America
    • Defenders of democracy

    About the Author

    A childhood refugee from Czechoslovakia, Madeline Albright grew up in the United States and became a diplomat. During Bill Clinton’s presidency, she served as US ambassador to the United Nations, and later became the first female secretary of state. She has remained vocal on political issues and now lectures in diplomacy at Georgetown University.

    Categories with Fascism

    Books like Fascism

    People ❤️ Blinkist
    Sven O.

    It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.

    Thi Viet Quynh N.

    Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.

    Jonathan A.

    Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.

    Renee D.

    Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.

    People also liked

    Start growing with Blinkist now
    28 Million
    Downloads on all platforms
    4.7 Stars
    Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
    91%
    Of Blinkist members create a better reading habit*
    *Based on survey data from Blinkist customers
    Powerful ideas from top nonfiction

    Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,000+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.

    Start your free trial