Dear Tim, if I may, You cannot imagine how grateful I am for your book, "On Freedom," in these times. It is a beacon in the darkness. I am the granddaughter of an SS officer, born in Brazil partly because my grandparents were frightened that they might become ensnared in the war crimes trials of the late ´50´s and early ´60´s. Few have insight into the severe effects of this legacy in a family. I wish I could explain to Trump voters just how searing it is and that no one wins. I am an American (living in Sweden) and a historian. So, perhaps you can imagine my horror at the prospect of a second Trump presidency. Thank you for what you do. It inspires me. Warm wishes, Julie Lindahl
Thank you Tim. It is quite evident that if trump prevails we have a massive disaster on our hands. All the way around. I read "On Freedom," Marvelous, Congratulations! I have been watching foreign films trying to understand how the Resistance worked during WW II. I wonder how we will communicate with each other in addition to everything you mention in your video, if he were to win.. Who is ready to stand in between 'the forces' who will try to deport our neighbors? We all have to work harder/ I am going to Canvas again this Sunday, NY 17 for Mondaire Jones. We can do this. We have to! I am part of the Hopium Community the motto is work hard, with Joy and get the job of Harris Walz and the down ballot candidates elected.
Timothy Snyder, you know what has been happening in the US, Ukraine, Russia, India, Germany, Poland, Hungry...you know what happens to the people as democracies fail and there is no rule of law but only 'personal rule' for the benefit of Trump, Vance, Musk, Putin, Modi...
Who cares about us? You continue to teach us that if we don't care about one another and support democracy, at best we will be begging for food as seniors in Ukraine are now doing.
One thing I would add, Dr. Snyder is widespread bribery. I'm thinking of France under Napoleon. He did pretty much what vance trump have threatened to do, that is appoint civil servants loyal to Napoleon not France. This resulted in wholesale bribery. The civil servants weren't well paid, so over-looked bribery was the way they supplemented their income. You want a business license? Instead of a few dollars paid to a government agency, it will be hundred of dollars paid to a civil servant.
In Marcos’ Philippines where I lived 1982-88 the middle and upper income classes lived in gated communities. Our ‘village’ was noted for being on a military electric circuit which was more reliable than civilian electricity. We also had privileged water that gushed into our tank with a day’s supply every morning. Security, trash, maintenance—every service was contracted with Marcos crony companies. We had round the clock armed guards at our house and a driver to avoid legal trouble for us in case of an accident. There was no rule of law.
We think we know why the unholy trinity of Putin, Musk and Trump has formed. Think about “disaster capitalism” and how Putin became a gazillionaire. In a nutshell, the scheme is to bankrupt the USA, then the plutocrats gobble up the remnants at fire sale prices. Thus Putin finally achieves his goal of dominating the democratic world. We have written a short paper on this would love to send it to you. We dont know how to get it to the right government people to take action on this traitorous activity.
I just looked it up. You were the author! We will order it and read it! Thank you! Great minds…. Hope your book discusses what we are going to DO about it. How can we help?
Professor Snyder, thank you, as always, for your observations and wisdom. Of course it’s all deeply disturbing, which is why we must do all we can to vote in VP Harris. Sorry I missed you in Chicago, I’m in Germany now, but I have a question regarding Ukraine.
Talking to friends here, one who is Russian and has given up her citizenship, is married to a Ukrainian man. She says the troops are exhausted and depleted and she is hoping for a cease-fire knowing that Ukrainians would have to cede some of their lands to Russia. Another friend who is a political scientist, believes there is no “halfway mark” with Putin and with North Korean troops now ready to do battle, Putin will take over Ukraine and install a merciless regime. This shakes me to my bones! I have been a supporter of Ukraine since the start of this war and the thought of a complete takeover by Putin would be so tragic.
We are waiting for the results of this election to know more about what will surely effect the fate of Ukraine. The Euros have been keeping up their support thankfully. What is happening to Ukraine breaks my heart. This is really about the fate of the international order in the world we have kept since WW2 and so much more going forward where we really need to come together to save the environment. There are some very bad powerful actors working against that.
(Kyiv Independent and other sources) 160,000 people planned to be drafted into Ukrainian forces, National Security and Defense Council head says. so I hope that helps. Wish they didn't need to.
Thank you, Prof Snyder, for this common sense, historically-grounded description of what is possible and likely IF Americans elect Trump and Vance.
A tyrant's use of lawlessness, especially when it is made possible by the use of lawful society institutions, to elevate the tyrant, in place of law and general common norm, to the position of personal [not institutionally bounded and limited], willful [not legal] absolute [not accountable, not check-able], and central power in governance and enforcement of governance power, is the beginning and the resource required to change terms and conditions of relationships all throughout society and its peoples. This includes formerly lawful or law-limited and -enforced terms and conditions of economic choices and activities and relationships.
In its most raw and ugly American form, we see such tyranny at work in the past in the American economic history of, as you mentioned, single party States. Not only were there discriminatory economic practices, but there were those who were able not only to confiscate the earned or worked for living resources of others but also able to define 'others' as property. Need we be reminded of this now? Are Trump supporters mindful of this? Are other Americans mindful of this?
In more recent times, we have the horrible consequences of American aggression against Iraq and the American effort, largely and catastrophically successful, to gut Iraqi society of its middle level managerial and bureaucratic peoples who had served [or persevered to merely survive under] the oppressive and tyrannical Saddam Hussein Ba'athist regime. Once the Bush administration was systematically able to remove these former technical professional and operatives of the former regime, and whether or not some or many among them were complicit with any or much of the former Ba'athist political corruption and violence, their experience and skill sets in overseeing and making work the social and economic infrastructure that all Iraqi's depended on was lost. We know the humanitarian catastrophes that resulted from this use of this fitful and punitive American tyranny, a tyranny that punished every Iraqi for the corruption of a violent few who lorded over them.
Others can bring to our attention other examples; history is full of the follies of tyrants and their followers.
Steady on, old bean. It's going to close, but we'll pull through.
And if not, let's all move to Ukraine! It's really nice there and people are actually connected to reality. It's amazing how stable life without Post-Truth is, even with the ruzzian terrorism trying to ruin everything.
So, if the Economist recently ran a story acclaiming the American economy as boosting the rest of the world, crashing the American economy isn't going to do the rest of the world much good. As most of the rest of the world probably already knows....
Add to the incompetence and unpredictability the environment of rampant and unrestrained bribery that will, inevitably take over all public interactions as governmental, and then private, operatives seek to ensure they have enough money to live. The term for this is dog eat dog.
Trump and his people are telling us just what he wants to do: trash as much as he can. This is an appeal to pure emotion. You have to really not be listening to him to vote for him OR really hate this country. In other words your head has to be in a really bad place. So are we trying to reason with this? Are there people that still can be convinced how bad this person and his program is for us?
Every time I see a Trump/Vance sign out there in front of a house ( and I am in a "blue" state) I cannot understand what those people must be thinking or if they are thinking at all. Maybe just angry and resentful... sour. I don't know.
Thanks for these observations and questions, Mr Potter.
"...are we trying to reason with this?" Cool.
Yeah, I am; it seems others are. Prof Snyder clearly presents historical observations and historical interpretation to provide any reasonable person with questions.
All that being said, VP Harris made a valid point, or observation, in her closing minutes of her address from DC's Ellipse. She offered to fulfill her oath of office if elected President this November by, as part of a larger commitment to work with all Americans under the equal protections of the Constitution and its current federal system for rule of law, putting back in place the table of discussion for all Americans. This is a civic commitment to re-committing to the 'we the people' sense of civic engagement and for coming to grips with common obstacles, common needs, and common challenges to pursuing the Constitution's promises.
Can we do this regrouping and re-committing to cooperation within the terms and conditions of the Constitution and the law without beginning with trying to reason together? Reasoning together is one approach which has, many times before in America, been the redeeming and productive approach. And by promising that this will be among her tools of democratic and constitutional governance, she re-establishes the primacy of lawful constitutional politics and governance that she would hold Americans to.
And one other thing....
Today Ms Kim Wehle, in her Simple Politics with Kim Wehle substack , penned "Donald Trump should not get a pardon: If Kamala Harris wins the election, she will face pressure to issue a presidential pardon for Trump". In brief and in short, Ms Wehle writes, "Should Vice President Kamala Harris win, she will likely face a lot of pressure to issue a presidential pardon for Trump. ... I wrote in The Hill that her answer should be no, for several reasons." My point is that the practice of equal accountability under the law, the full and equal application of law as found in a full and fair presentment and appraisal of fact and law, is another crucially important foundation of Executive authority that, if elected, Ms Harris must commit to and perform fully [through her own practices and decisions and by means of a the Justice Departments practices and a candid general law perspective on American judicial practice].
Hi Bob--Let Harris win first. Then lets prosecute Trump and convict him. Then, I will bet Harris will not pardon him. He can be put in a plush jail cell- or on a boat to Russia.
Yeah, us too here. We have voted. Kamala must obey the law herself. She knows that as a prosecuting lawyer. And the process of accountability of the executive branch is very much at stake should we be so fortunate to be on the road to recovery from this affliction upon us. But we may not be done... There will be all sorts of screaming to come. Thanks for your positivity.
Thanks for your positivity, too, Mr Potter. And, yeah, if the American people choose to elect VP Harris and Gov Walz, then the American people, including me, have responsibility and opportunity to work together very hard for the freedom fors and for the citizen actions that, daily, affirm and improve the Constitution and our federal system of rule of law.
Because of my advanced age, maybe I have more responsibility. Not because of personal resources, but because, if I am free and in support of an On Freedom sort of American freedom by for and of Americans, then the lessons I have learned are lessons I should share with others. The equal opportunity to share, to listen, to choose together to take action....
Dr. Snyder, you left out a last step as described in "Gimme Shelter A Democracy If We Can Keep It." Once the chaos is realized, after laws are disregarded and economic disaster sets in, trump will have no idea, nor will his loyalists have a clue how to deal with the social blow back. Trump has asked Putin for help before and there is plenty of evidence for that. Putin will help trump round it all up and in the process will become the back door American dictator.
Dear Tim, if I may, You cannot imagine how grateful I am for your book, "On Freedom," in these times. It is a beacon in the darkness. I am the granddaughter of an SS officer, born in Brazil partly because my grandparents were frightened that they might become ensnared in the war crimes trials of the late ´50´s and early ´60´s. Few have insight into the severe effects of this legacy in a family. I wish I could explain to Trump voters just how searing it is and that no one wins. I am an American (living in Sweden) and a historian. So, perhaps you can imagine my horror at the prospect of a second Trump presidency. Thank you for what you do. It inspires me. Warm wishes, Julie Lindahl
Thank you Tim. It is quite evident that if trump prevails we have a massive disaster on our hands. All the way around. I read "On Freedom," Marvelous, Congratulations! I have been watching foreign films trying to understand how the Resistance worked during WW II. I wonder how we will communicate with each other in addition to everything you mention in your video, if he were to win.. Who is ready to stand in between 'the forces' who will try to deport our neighbors? We all have to work harder/ I am going to Canvas again this Sunday, NY 17 for Mondaire Jones. We can do this. We have to! I am part of the Hopium Community the motto is work hard, with Joy and get the job of Harris Walz and the down ballot candidates elected.
Timothy Snyder, you know what has been happening in the US, Ukraine, Russia, India, Germany, Poland, Hungry...you know what happens to the people as democracies fail and there is no rule of law but only 'personal rule' for the benefit of Trump, Vance, Musk, Putin, Modi...
Who cares about us? You continue to teach us that if we don't care about one another and support democracy, at best we will be begging for food as seniors in Ukraine are now doing.
One thing I would add, Dr. Snyder is widespread bribery. I'm thinking of France under Napoleon. He did pretty much what vance trump have threatened to do, that is appoint civil servants loyal to Napoleon not France. This resulted in wholesale bribery. The civil servants weren't well paid, so over-looked bribery was the way they supplemented their income. You want a business license? Instead of a few dollars paid to a government agency, it will be hundred of dollars paid to a civil servant.
In Marcos’ Philippines where I lived 1982-88 the middle and upper income classes lived in gated communities. Our ‘village’ was noted for being on a military electric circuit which was more reliable than civilian electricity. We also had privileged water that gushed into our tank with a day’s supply every morning. Security, trash, maintenance—every service was contracted with Marcos crony companies. We had round the clock armed guards at our house and a driver to avoid legal trouble for us in case of an accident. There was no rule of law.
We think we know why the unholy trinity of Putin, Musk and Trump has formed. Think about “disaster capitalism” and how Putin became a gazillionaire. In a nutshell, the scheme is to bankrupt the USA, then the plutocrats gobble up the remnants at fire sale prices. Thus Putin finally achieves his goal of dominating the democratic world. We have written a short paper on this would love to send it to you. We dont know how to get it to the right government people to take action on this traitorous activity.
You point is also presented in "Gimme Shelter A Democracy If We Can Keep It."
I just looked it up. You were the author! We will order it and read it! Thank you! Great minds…. Hope your book discusses what we are going to DO about it. How can we help?
I will buy this book. Thanks for the recommendation!
Professor Snyder, thank you, as always, for your observations and wisdom. Of course it’s all deeply disturbing, which is why we must do all we can to vote in VP Harris. Sorry I missed you in Chicago, I’m in Germany now, but I have a question regarding Ukraine.
Talking to friends here, one who is Russian and has given up her citizenship, is married to a Ukrainian man. She says the troops are exhausted and depleted and she is hoping for a cease-fire knowing that Ukrainians would have to cede some of their lands to Russia. Another friend who is a political scientist, believes there is no “halfway mark” with Putin and with North Korean troops now ready to do battle, Putin will take over Ukraine and install a merciless regime. This shakes me to my bones! I have been a supporter of Ukraine since the start of this war and the thought of a complete takeover by Putin would be so tragic.
We are waiting for the results of this election to know more about what will surely effect the fate of Ukraine. The Euros have been keeping up their support thankfully. What is happening to Ukraine breaks my heart. This is really about the fate of the international order in the world we have kept since WW2 and so much more going forward where we really need to come together to save the environment. There are some very bad powerful actors working against that.
(Kyiv Independent and other sources) 160,000 people planned to be drafted into Ukrainian forces, National Security and Defense Council head says. so I hope that helps. Wish they didn't need to.
Thank you, Prof Snyder, for this common sense, historically-grounded description of what is possible and likely IF Americans elect Trump and Vance.
A tyrant's use of lawlessness, especially when it is made possible by the use of lawful society institutions, to elevate the tyrant, in place of law and general common norm, to the position of personal [not institutionally bounded and limited], willful [not legal] absolute [not accountable, not check-able], and central power in governance and enforcement of governance power, is the beginning and the resource required to change terms and conditions of relationships all throughout society and its peoples. This includes formerly lawful or law-limited and -enforced terms and conditions of economic choices and activities and relationships.
In its most raw and ugly American form, we see such tyranny at work in the past in the American economic history of, as you mentioned, single party States. Not only were there discriminatory economic practices, but there were those who were able not only to confiscate the earned or worked for living resources of others but also able to define 'others' as property. Need we be reminded of this now? Are Trump supporters mindful of this? Are other Americans mindful of this?
In more recent times, we have the horrible consequences of American aggression against Iraq and the American effort, largely and catastrophically successful, to gut Iraqi society of its middle level managerial and bureaucratic peoples who had served [or persevered to merely survive under] the oppressive and tyrannical Saddam Hussein Ba'athist regime. Once the Bush administration was systematically able to remove these former technical professional and operatives of the former regime, and whether or not some or many among them were complicit with any or much of the former Ba'athist political corruption and violence, their experience and skill sets in overseeing and making work the social and economic infrastructure that all Iraqi's depended on was lost. We know the humanitarian catastrophes that resulted from this use of this fitful and punitive American tyranny, a tyranny that punished every Iraqi for the corruption of a violent few who lorded over them.
Others can bring to our attention other examples; history is full of the follies of tyrants and their followers.
Steady on, old bean. It's going to close, but we'll pull through.
And if not, let's all move to Ukraine! It's really nice there and people are actually connected to reality. It's amazing how stable life without Post-Truth is, even with the ruzzian terrorism trying to ruin everything.
So, if the Economist recently ran a story acclaiming the American economy as boosting the rest of the world, crashing the American economy isn't going to do the rest of the world much good. As most of the rest of the world probably already knows....
Add to the incompetence and unpredictability the environment of rampant and unrestrained bribery that will, inevitably take over all public interactions as governmental, and then private, operatives seek to ensure they have enough money to live. The term for this is dog eat dog.
Trump and his people are telling us just what he wants to do: trash as much as he can. This is an appeal to pure emotion. You have to really not be listening to him to vote for him OR really hate this country. In other words your head has to be in a really bad place. So are we trying to reason with this? Are there people that still can be convinced how bad this person and his program is for us?
Every time I see a Trump/Vance sign out there in front of a house ( and I am in a "blue" state) I cannot understand what those people must be thinking or if they are thinking at all. Maybe just angry and resentful... sour. I don't know.
Thanks for these observations and questions, Mr Potter.
"...are we trying to reason with this?" Cool.
Yeah, I am; it seems others are. Prof Snyder clearly presents historical observations and historical interpretation to provide any reasonable person with questions.
All that being said, VP Harris made a valid point, or observation, in her closing minutes of her address from DC's Ellipse. She offered to fulfill her oath of office if elected President this November by, as part of a larger commitment to work with all Americans under the equal protections of the Constitution and its current federal system for rule of law, putting back in place the table of discussion for all Americans. This is a civic commitment to re-committing to the 'we the people' sense of civic engagement and for coming to grips with common obstacles, common needs, and common challenges to pursuing the Constitution's promises.
Can we do this regrouping and re-committing to cooperation within the terms and conditions of the Constitution and the law without beginning with trying to reason together? Reasoning together is one approach which has, many times before in America, been the redeeming and productive approach. And by promising that this will be among her tools of democratic and constitutional governance, she re-establishes the primacy of lawful constitutional politics and governance that she would hold Americans to.
And one other thing....
Today Ms Kim Wehle, in her Simple Politics with Kim Wehle substack , penned "Donald Trump should not get a pardon: If Kamala Harris wins the election, she will face pressure to issue a presidential pardon for Trump". In brief and in short, Ms Wehle writes, "Should Vice President Kamala Harris win, she will likely face a lot of pressure to issue a presidential pardon for Trump. ... I wrote in The Hill that her answer should be no, for several reasons." My point is that the practice of equal accountability under the law, the full and equal application of law as found in a full and fair presentment and appraisal of fact and law, is another crucially important foundation of Executive authority that, if elected, Ms Harris must commit to and perform fully [through her own practices and decisions and by means of a the Justice Departments practices and a candid general law perspective on American judicial practice].
Hi Bob--Let Harris win first. Then lets prosecute Trump and convict him. Then, I will bet Harris will not pardon him. He can be put in a plush jail cell- or on a boat to Russia.
Right on, Mr Potter, and I am right there, too, with my vote in, accounted for.
Yeah, us too here. We have voted. Kamala must obey the law herself. She knows that as a prosecuting lawyer. And the process of accountability of the executive branch is very much at stake should we be so fortunate to be on the road to recovery from this affliction upon us. But we may not be done... There will be all sorts of screaming to come. Thanks for your positivity.
Thanks for your positivity, too, Mr Potter. And, yeah, if the American people choose to elect VP Harris and Gov Walz, then the American people, including me, have responsibility and opportunity to work together very hard for the freedom fors and for the citizen actions that, daily, affirm and improve the Constitution and our federal system of rule of law.
Because of my advanced age, maybe I have more responsibility. Not because of personal resources, but because, if I am free and in support of an On Freedom sort of American freedom by for and of Americans, then the lessons I have learned are lessons I should share with others. The equal opportunity to share, to listen, to choose together to take action....
The choice is clear. Trump will bring his enemy list to the Oval Office and Kamala her to-do list. 💃🏻 #TurnThePage!
Dr. Snyder, you left out a last step as described in "Gimme Shelter A Democracy If We Can Keep It." Once the chaos is realized, after laws are disregarded and economic disaster sets in, trump will have no idea, nor will his loyalists have a clue how to deal with the social blow back. Trump has asked Putin for help before and there is plenty of evidence for that. Putin will help trump round it all up and in the process will become the back door American dictator.
Kinda scaring me.
“Nowhere to run to, nowhere to hide...”
It's as if at the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral the town decided to side with the cattle rustlers instead of the lawmen. Or, if Gotham sided with the Joker instead of Batman. Or, the nuns chose to let the Nazis chase the Von Trapps in the Sound of Music. Speaking of nuns, has anyone been following the lying about a convent? https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/25/politics/benedictine-sisters-of-erie-pennsylvania-election-fraud-viral/index.html