«These 128 pages are a brief primer in every important thing we might have learned from the history of the last century, and all that we appear to have forgotten». (Observer).

History does not repeat, but it does instruct. In the twentieth century, European democracies collapsed into fascism, Nazism and communism. These were movements in which a leader or a party claimed to give voice to the people, promised to protect them from global existential threats, and rejected reason in favour of myth.

European history shows us that societies can break, democracies can fall, ethics can collapse, and ordinary people can find themselves in unimaginable circumstances. History can familiarise, and it can warn. Today, we are no wiser than the Europeans who saw democracy yield to totalitarianism in the twentieth century.

But when the political order seems imperilled, our advantage is that we can learn from their experience to resist the advance of tyranny. Now is a good time to do so.


Erkki Bahovski soovitab: «Snyder on kirjutanud veel, nt «Veremaad», aga tema holokaustist kõnelev teos räägib ehk kõige paremini (mina pole paremat kohanud) lahti Hitleri mõttemaailma. Miks oli holokaust natsidele nii oluline. Ja teine raamat on manuaal Donald Trumpiga toime tulemiseks, aga seda tasub lugeda ka meil, kui siin Maarjamaal asjad hulluks kipuvad minema.»