5 Books on Tyranny to Read NOW!

The world is now divided between liberal democracies and autocratic regimes.

And the autocracies are on the march!

Russia invades Ukraine, China gazes menacingly at Taiwan, Iran sponsors Hamas and the Houthis, Venezuela plans to invade Guyana, and the military junta in Myanmar continues its efforts to eliminate various ethnic minorities. In the meantime, liberal democracies are becoming more fragmented and fratricidal, devouring themselves from the inside out, and unable to put up a common front against a diverse array of totalitarian actors.

Even in America, the land of liberty, people are parading their totalitarian dreams. Just last month, Neo-Nazis marched in Nashville, while communists held their own parade in New York. Nazisms and Communism, the two worst things that happened in the 20th century, are finding a new generation of supporters spurned on by visions of utopia achieved by one violent purge. Alas, some people are attracted to the morbidity of political evil.

So I’ve got some good book recommendations to remind you of the terror of tyranny, either to keep your disgust with totalitarianism fresh, or to offer something you can recommend to friends who are being seduced by despots who promise to get things done!

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# 1 George Orwell - 1984

My hands-down # 1 read is 1984. Orwell’s dystopian novel depicts a society where the government controls every aspect of people's lives, manipulating truth and suppressing individuality. 1984 is a morality tale on the dangers of giving the government too much authority and using technology to surveil and oppress its citizens. What is disturbing are the parallels between “Big Brother” and political actors today, where governments engage in “Double Think” and citizens can be accused of “Thought Crimes.” Sadly, many groups see Orwell’s novel not as a warning about totalitarianism, but more like a manual on how to achieve it! Orwell’s masterpiece remains a timeless and thought-provoking novel that continues to resonate with readers and serve as a cautionary tale about the dangers of totalitarianism and the importance of protecting freedom and truth.

# 2 Hannah Arendt - The Origins of Totalitarianism

Hanah Arendt fled 1930s Germany, survived internment in France, and eventually came to the USA where she wrote her masterpiece on totalitarianism. She points out that totalitarianism is different from despotism. A despot rules by violating the law whereas totalitarians create laws and rule by sheer terror. Hitler and Stalin are the examples as exhibits A and B. She coined the phrase “the banality of evil” where evil is performed not only in gas chambers and firing squads, but in the seemingly innocuous acts of compiling lists, distributing quotas, and administrating genocide. She was able to confirm her ideas by witnessing the trial of Adolf Eichmann in Jerusalem in 1961 where Eichmann demonstrated the psychological infrastructure of evil in his replies to questions during the proceedings.

# 3 Timothy Snyder - On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons From the Twentieth Century

Okay, this is THE book I recommend to people. It’s a terrific digest and update of Arendt for today. Snyder shows how it is all too easy for countries to slide into the authoritarianism of Nazi Germany or Soviet Russia if democracy and freedom are not guarded. He’s worried about Trump as a figure who might transform America from a democracy to a dictatorship - January 6 proved him right! This book is very short, almost like a pamphlet on steroids, the audiobook is an awesome 1.5 hr listen. Give this to any friends you have who are attracted to Christian Nationalism, Fascism, Communism, or Socialist dictatorships. READ THIS BOOK! You’ll thank me later!!

# 4 Anna Funder - Stasiland

This is a moving book by an Australian lawyer that delves into the experiences of individuals living in East Germany under the oppressive GDR government and its secret police apparatus in the Stasi. Funder interviews various people, including former Stasi agents and their targets, to explore the impact of surveillance, fear, trauma, terror, and betrayal on individuals' lives. The book provides a compelling and personal insight into the psychological and emotional toll of living in a society where trust is scarce, and the government treats its citizens with suspicion. Through these narratives, Funder sheds light on the lasting effects of living under a totalitarian regime and the resilience of those who endured it. A terrific new book that won the Samuel Johnson award for a good reason. For a similar story, listen to the Rest is History podcast where Katja Hoyer is interviewed about life in East Germany.

# 5 Wang Yi - Faithful Disobedience

Wang Yi is a Chinese human rights advocate and pastor currently serving a sentence in a Chinese prison. In this book, Wang Yi discusses the challenges faced by the Christian church in China under the government's strict control and censorship. The book emphasizes the importance of remaining faithful to one's beliefs and religious principles, even in the face of persecution and oppression. Wang Yi encourages readers to prioritize their faith and confession of Christ above all else, advocating for peaceful resistance and civil disobedience as a means to uphold justice and truth against communist tyranny. This is political theology outside the American binary, where the issues are not Trump and Roe vs. Wade, but how to respond to state persecution and state terror. Through his personal stories and moving exhortations, Wang Yi inspires readers to stand firm in their convictions and pursue a bold witness to the truth despite the risks involved. See my review here.

Did I miss any books? Anything you’d add or recommend? Tell me in the comments below!