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Chapter 15
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in On Tyranny, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
The Collapse of American Democracy
Tyranny and the Consolidation of Power
Political Action and Civic Responsibility
History and Memory
Summary
Analysis
People should take an international perspective in their thinking, personal relationships, and travel. Snyder notes that, for instance, journalists from Ukraine and Russia who were covering the 2016 American election saw the dangers of the Trump campaign’s fake news and propaganda before American journalists did. In fact, the Russian government tested out the internet disinformation techniques it used in the 2016 election on Ukraine in 2014, but Ukraine was prepared and beat them. Meanwhile, very few Americans even have a passport, which is necessary not only in case they need to flee state violence, but also in order to travel and see how other people in other places address similar political problems.
While most of American public life is currently inward-looking, in part due to the size and global dominance of the United States, Snyder offers the unique perspective of an American who has spent his life studying other places. Looking to the world for guidance is akin to looking at history for a sense of perspective and agency. As an added bonus, it can also help people understand how changes in the contemporary world—like the growing threat of digital misinformation—are playing out in different kinds of nations and contexts.
Themes
