I just finished Erasing History by Jason Stanley, and it’s a thought-provoking read. The book delves into the rising threat of global fascism and how democracy, particularly in the U.S., is under attack. Stanley argues that to fight this, we need to learn from history.

He explains how authoritarians target education to erase critical parts of our shared past, dividing and controlling people. Stanley provides numerous global examples, from China and Russia to historical references like Hitler and McCarthy, showing how these tactics undermine democracy.

I initially wondered, "What can he say that I don’t know already?" but I quickly realized there was a lot to learn. Concepts like Supremacist Nationalism were new to me and quite disturbing. Stanley also highlighted current issues, like Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán's speech in Dallas and attempts to erase Native American and Black history.

The book made me question how we can protect public education and free speech in universities. Stanley stresses the importance of liberal arts colleges, which don’t exist in authoritarian countries, as vital for preserving democracy.

Having read How Fascism Works, I’ve seen the relevance of Stanley’s work. Erasing History is specific and urgent, showing that education is a key battleground against fascism. Critical thinking and a shared understanding of history are essential for a healthy democracy.

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Thoroughly researched, Jason Stanley presents a book with the possibility of an authoritarian regime in America. He shows how omitting critical parts of shared history in schools and universities is a strategy developed by leaders in the world who have been able to manipulate and control societies.

I thought: “What can he say that I don’t know already?” A lot. He educates the reader with what has happened in the world with countries such as China, India and Russia that are controlled by authoritarians. Some examples were noted with Hitler’s movement during WWII, McCarthy era in America and Putin’s war in Ukraine.

Stanley provided steps that authoritarian governments have used to change democracies with examples from Project 2025. There were classifications that were new to me such as Supremacist Nationalism. It was distressing to read: “America’s greatness stems from both its whiteness and its Christianity” knowing that my ancestor, Thomas Harris, nearly escaped after refusing to join the religious group at a place called the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1600s. I learned more about Hungary’s prime minister Viktor Orbán recent speech at a Dallas, TX political event attacking the idea of a mixed race. This book revealed historical accounts of the Native Americans and Black slavery that is an important part of our past.

The truth can be overwhelmingly depressing. This book entails a lot of information that can hit hard with reality that made me pause with my own questions. How do we fight back for public education and free-speech at universities? The author said American style liberal arts colleges do not exist in authoritarian countries.

Stanley was raised with ancestors who suffered greatly from Hitler and Stalin. He has spent years studying the effects of an authoritarian government and has presented a solid analysis of his findings in this book. He provides evidence of what’s happening in America and helps the reader to understand how we are moving in a direction of Christianity in southern schools and erasing parts of history that can later be manipulated.

The author has continued the work of his late father, Manfred Stanley, a Syracuse professor who taught about the meanings of democratic citizenship. Our world is changing with Artificial Intelligence and the massive amounts of internet news along with the bias news from the media. It’s important that we keep informed with the truthful past and present.

My thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of September 10, 2024.

Sadly relevant and timely as the world flirts with strongman dictatorships around the world. Much like Ann Applebaum's "Autocracy Inc.", Stanley does a fantastic job examining the 'new face' of fascism, encouraging readers to look beyond the strongman and to more closely examine the institutions and systems that act as the engine of the regime. Stanly also focuses on the distorted world of 'alternative facts' that haunt modern politics and reflect the nightmare visions of Orwell and Kafka. The work is a clarion call in defense of history and education systems. An ignorant polity is doomed to follow the path of least resistance, and fascism has, and continues, to offer this simple path to self-destruction

You can also see this review, along with others I have written, at my blog, <a href="https://www.mrbooksbookreviews.com">Mr. Book's Book Reviews.</a>

Thank you Atria Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Mr. Book just finished Erasing History: How Fascists Rewrite The Past To Control The Future, by Jason Stanley.

The author primarily studies international politics and countries like Russia, India, Turkey, Israel and Hungary where fascist or authoritarian cultures appear. Unfortunately, that is also happening in the United States, which is the central focus of this book.

The focus on the book is how fascists use education as a political tool. As Putin pointed out, “Wars are won by teachers.”

Stanley pointed out the parallel between the Red Scare and McCarthyism to today’s efforts by the right-wing to go after liberal educators at every level from elementary school to college.

Control of education goes beyond merely deciding curriculum. Education can be used to achieve political objections as well. For example, in “Russia and North Korea today, we can see how education systems help to cultivate an unhealthy reverence for leaders, placing them above the rule of law. In other countries, such as India, the education system is used to place Hindu Indians over Muslim Indians. In each case, education functions to undermine the basis of democratic equal citizenship.”

The author does an excellent job discussing “supremacist nationalism”, which doesn’t acknowledge the country has ever done anything wrong. He uses how the education system has historically been whitewashing slavery and our treatment of minorities to make his case. And he accurately condemns “American exceptionalism” as whitewashing the role of slavery and the genocide of indigenous people.

This is the third book I have by Stanley. I already gave How Fascism Works: The Politics Of Us And Them an A in 2018. While I have a copy of How Propaganda Works, I have not yet read it.

This is a short book. There was a time when I would have held that against it and wouldn’t consider giving it either an A or A+. I am glad that I abandoned that stubbornness about a year and a half or so ago. Despite its lack of length, the author made his case so forcefully that he earns an A+ on this one. After finishing this book, I immediately put in a preorder for the audio version, which will come out at the same time as the printed copy on September 10.

Goodreads and NetGalley require grades on a 1-5 star system. In my personal conversion system, an A equates to 5 stars. (A or A+: 5 stars, B+: 4 stars, B: 3 stars, C: 2 stars, D or F: 1 star).

This book will be released on September 10, 2024. As requested by the publisher, I will hold off posting the review at NetGalley, Goodreads and my blog, Mr. Book’s Book Reviews until a week prior to publication.

Mr. Book originally finished reading this on July 8, 2024.

Go to Mr. Book’s Book Reviews homepage

Jason Stanley is the kind of writer who’s talent and erudition is undeniable, but boy do you wish his books weren’t so timely or increasingly relevant.

I read his book “How Fascism Works” back in 2018 and unfortunately have had little cause since then to think fascism won’t be a major factor in my life. Whereas his previous book was a bit broad and general for my taste, this title was quite the opposite, being incredibly specific and drawing on a number of current global examples. Unfortunately there is no dearth of examples, since fascism is having something of a moment right now, from Putin’s Russia, to Modi’s India, and of course the United States' own increasingly bold flirtation with authoritarianism.
While this global rise is threatening and overwhelming, the role education and history in particular plays in this struggle for nations can easily be overlooked, that’s where this book comes in. Stanley argues in convincing fashion that education is one of the most critical battlegrounds for any burgeoning fascist regime. The reason for this, the author shows throughout the pages of this book, is that things like critical thinking and a shared understanding of history and culture are anathema to the way fascist governments operate and control people, through manipulation, misinformation, and fear of the ”Other”.

While there aren’t any easy answers here, the author does a good job of showing what is really at stake, highlighting the close bond between education and a functioning democracy. If nothing else, this book should serve as a wake up call, lest America become as authoritarian as Putin’s Russia. The fight for our classrooms today is just a prelude to the fight for our voting booths and indeed our country tomorrow.