In How Fascism Works, the author Jason Stanley breaks down the tactics fascist leaders use to gain and preserve power. Using real-world examples, he reveals how fascist leaders exploit polarization, fear, and nostalgia for a mythical past to normalize radical ideologies. Stanley’s message is clear. Fascism is not a pattern of the past but a persistent threat that prospers when we stop paying attention. Understanding how these tactics take hold is the first step to resisting them. For me, reading this book was a quiet act of resistance.
I approached the book wanting to decode the patterns behind harmful leadership, especially in a world where my own voice often feels small. Educating myself felt like one of the few ways I could push back. The book provides some comfort in highlighting past resistance to fascism, yet it also left me feeling unsettled. The tactics Stanley outlines aren’t just theoretical, they're visible all around us. I see them in social media, in casual conversations, and in the news. And once you see the patterns, it’s hard to unsee them… and even harder not to want to speak out.
What scares me most from this book is normalization, because I have felt it. Events that once sparked national outrage and protest have become just another notification on my phone. America is becoming numb to radical policy change, mass layoffs, and political violence. I am scared for what else will become normal, and how easily we might begin to accept it.
