On Tyranny

Reflecting on each of Timothy Snyder's 20 lessons for living under authoritarianism

I mentioned a few innocent days ago that I had ordered On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder. It is a very short book, and I read it in about an hour after I received it. It consists of twenty lessons that he takes from his long observation of Europe’s various 20th century authoritarian regimes. As I read them, some seemed more urgent than others. But it occurred to me that it would be worth considering what it would mean to live out these ways of fighting the tyranny one find oneself living under. As I mentioned when thinking about his opening lesson, “Do not obey in advance”, I have serious doubts about my ability to be one of the brave ones. This uncertainty will surely affect my responses to these lessons. Some of Snyder’s prescriptions require no particular bravery—just diligence. Those I can do—I’m inclined to sloth, but I can knuckle down when the circumstance calls for it. But some will be more difficult; they depend on either bravery or a very knowing strategy.

I intend to go through each lesson over the next month or two. After all, our democracy may have just ended, and the new regime is taking power in late January.

Timothy Snyder taken from his website without permission

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