American Fascism: How the GOP is Subverting Democracy

by Brynn Tannehill

Overview

Trump is out of the White House, but American democracy is on the ropes and teetering on the brink of competitive authoritarianism controlled by theocrats and oligarchs. With its cherished institutions hobbled, political norms trampled, guardrails severely damaged, and body politic divided by chasms of race and geography, can the U.S. survive another administration dedicated to establishing de facto single party rule? In this compelling, comprehensive analysis, Brynn Tannehill draws on her expertise in studying the collapse of weak democracies around the globe and her previous research in law, political science, economics and right-wing populism to explain the trajectory of how we got here and the current threats we face. Most importantly, she analyzes what the characteristics of fascism are, if they are applicable to the base of the GOP today, and what that means for us should they succeed in establishing permanent minoritarian rule. American Fascism is a surgical analysis of 250 years of struggle for democracy in America and a prescient prognosis of what's to come if we do not heed Tannehill's warnings and advice.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781955348041
Publisher:	Transgress Press
Publication date:	04/20/2021
Pages:	378
Sales rank:	420,019
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.78(d)

About the Author

Trump is out of the White House, but American democracy is on the ropes and teetering on the brink of competitive authoritarianism controlled by theocrats and oligarchs. With its cherished institutions hobbled, political norms trampled, guardrails severely damaged, and body politic divided by chasms of race and geography, can the U.S. survive another administration dedicated to establishing de facto single party rule? In this compelling, comprehensive analysis, Brynn Tannehill draws on her expertise in studying the collapse of weak democracies around the globe and her previous research in law, political science, economics and right-wing populism to explain the trajectory of how we got here and the current threats we face. Most importantly, she analyzes what the characteristics of fascism are, if they are applicable to the base of the GOP today, and what that means for us should they succeed in establishing permanent minoritarian rule. American Fascism is a surgical analysis of 250 years of struggle for democracy in America and a prescient prognosis of what's to come if we do not heed Tannehill's warnings and advice.

Editorial Reviews

"American Fascism is more than a book, it's a warning. A "must read" for all Americans concerned with maintaining our democracy."

Rachel Bitecofer, Co-founder of Strike Pac

"Written with a verve and panache missing from most scholarly works on the topic, American Fascism displays Brynn Tannehill's gift for mastering vital points of detail while still offering her readers the "big picture." Paying particular attention to economics, the law, media, and religion, she offers the first attempt at a truly comprehensive understanding of how we got to this point in our nation's troubled history-and how we might hope to emerge from it. Most importantly, she shows how we can both understand Trumpism as fascism while also probing the deep sources of this fascism from within our own history."

Richard Steigmann-Gall, author of The Holy Reich: Nazi Conceptions of Christianity, 1919-1945

"Brynn Tannehill's American Fascism... shows with methodical brutality that the Republican party is fascist, and that there is little stopping it from solidifying one party rule within the next 5-10 years. United States democracy is dying; those who want to understand what's coming should read this book."

Noah Berlatsky, author of Nazi Dreams: Films About Fascism

"The only books worth reading are those that force you to examine the evidence as well as your preconceived notions. American Fascism is one such book. Forcefully argued, it is relentless in presenting evidence to support its central claim. And if Brynn Tannehill is right, we have serious work to do in order to preserve whatever form of democracy we have left in the United States."

Dr. Andrew Whitehead, Author of Taking America Back for God: Christian Nationalism in the United States

"Brynn Tannehill's work American Fascism provides a nuanced, careful view of how a number of important institutions in American society collided in the last two decades to put democracy in an incredibly precarious place. Tannehill's elucidation of how elements inside conservative Christianity worked in parallel with many of the most influential business interests in the United States to drive the Republican party to the extreme edge of the ideological spectrum is first rate. This is a phenomenon that we have only begun to understand and Tannehill's work should be required reading for those interested in the topic."

Ryan Burge, Professor of Political Science, Eastern Illinois University and author of The Nones: Where They Came From, Who They Are, and Where They Are Going



From the Publisher