The Road to Unfreedom Russia, Europe, America

FromtheauthorofOnTyrannycomesastunningnewchronicleoftheriseofauthoritarianismfromRussiatoEuropeandAmerica.WiththeendoftheColdWar,thevictoryofliberaldemocracywasthoughttobeabsolute.Observersdeclaredtheendofhistory,confidentinapeaceful,globalizedfuture.Butwenowknowthistobepremature.AuthoritarianismfirstreturnedinRussia,asPutindevelopedapoliticalsystemdedicatedsolelytotheconsolidationandexerciseofpower.Inthelastsixyears,ithascreepedfromeasttowestasnationalisminflamesEurope,abettedbyRussianpropagandaandcyberwarfare.WhilecountrieslikePolandandHungaryhavemadehardturnstowardsauthoritarianism,theelectoralupsetsof2016revealedthecitizensoftheUSandUKinrevoltagainsttheircountries\'longstandingpoliciesandvalues.ButthisthreattotheWestalsopresentsanopportunitytobetterunderstandthepillarsofourownpoliticalorder.Inthisforcefulandunsparingworkofcontemporaryhistory,Snydergoesbeyondtheheadlinestoexposethetruenatureofthethreattodemocracy.Byshowcasingthestarkchoicesbeforeus--betweenequalityoroligarchy,individualityortotality,truthandfalsehood--Snyderrestoresourunderstandingofthebasisofourwayoflife,offeringawayforwardinatimeofterribleuncertainty.,