by Ruth Ben-Ghiat | Jan 3, 2024 | Lucid
January 3, 2024 The essence of authoritarianism is getting away with crime, and corruption must be at the center of any analysis of how dictatorships operate. A large percentage of actions authoritarians take are about covering up corruption: demonizing and jailing... by Ruth Ben-Ghiat | Dec 13, 2023 | Lucid
December 11, 2023 “I said I wanted to be a dictator for one day. You know why I wanted to be a dictator? Because I want a wall, and I want to drill, drill, drill.” As a skilled propagandist, former president Donald Trump is a seasoned liar. Telling... by Ruth Ben-Ghiat | Dec 9, 2023 | Donald Trump
New York Times, December 9, 2023 When a historian wrote an essay the other day warning that the election of former President Donald J. Trump next year could lead to dictatorship, one of Mr. Trump’s allies quickly responded by calling for the historian to be sent to... by Ruth Ben-Ghiat | Nov 17, 2023 | Lucid
Lucid EssayOctober 25, 2023Subscribe Here Welcome back to Lucid, and hello to all new subscribers! Here is a rare Monday post on an important subject: Trump’s use of dehumanizing language that echoes Fascist speech. Former President Donald Trump REALLY does not want... by Ruth Ben-Ghiat | Nov 3, 2023 | Gender Politics
Lucid, November 9, 2023 The strongman would be nothing without bodies to orchestrate and control. He needs crowds to acclaim his successes, propagandists and lawyers to cover up his corruption, military and security personnel to fight his domestic and international...