Fascism: A Warning

Written by Madeleine Albright

Narrated by Madeleine Albright

?#1 New York Times Bestseller

“Albright outlines the warning signs of fascism and offers concrete actions for restoring America’s values and reputation. There is priceless wisdom on every page.” —Booklist (starred review)

“Fascism [is] the work of a woman who knows authoritarianism when she sees it. And she sees the seeds of it not only in a slew of leaders hell bent on subverting democratic norms—Turkey’s Erdogan, Venezuela’s Maduro, Hungary’s Orbán, and others—but also in Donald Trump, whom she calls in the book ‘the first antidemocratic president in modern U.S. history.’” — The Daily Beast

A personal and urgent examination of Fascism in the twentieth century and how its legacy shapes today’s world, written by one of the most admired public servants in American history, the first woman to serve as U.S. secretary of state

A Fascist, observed Madeleine Albright, “is someone who claims to speak for a whole nation or group, is utterly unconcerned with the rights of others, and is willing to use violence and whatever other means are necessary to achieve the goals he or she might have.” 

The twentieth century was defined by the clash between democracy and Fascism, a struggle that created uncertainty about the survival of human freedom and left millions dead. Given the horrors of that experience, one might expect the world to reject the spiritual successors to Hitler and Mussolini should they arise in our era. Fascism: A Warning is drawn from Madeleine Albright's experiences as a child in war-torn Europe and her distinguished career as a diplomat to question that assumption.

Fascism, as she shows, not only endured through the twentieth century but now presents a more virulent threat to peace and justice than at any time since the end of World War II. The momentum toward democracy that swept the world when the Berlin Wall fell has gone into reverse. The United States, which historically championed the free world, is led by a president who exacerbates division and heaps scorn on democratic institutions. In many countries, economic, technological, and cultural factors are weakening the political center and empowering the extremes of right and left. Contemporary leaders such as Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un are employing many of the tactics used by Fascists in the 1920s and 30s.

Fascism: A Warning is a book for our times that is relevant to all times. Written by someone who not only studied history but helped to shape it, this call to arms teaches us the lessons we must understand and the questions we must answer if we are to save ourselves from repeating the tragic errors of the past.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Apr 10, 2018
• ISBN: 9780062802248

Madeleine Albright

Madeleine Albright served as America’s sixty-fourth secretary of state from 1997 to 2001. Her distinguished career also included positions at the White House, on Capitol Hill, and as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. She was a resident of Washington D.C., and Virginia.

Reviews for Fascism

[Michele Grover · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

thank you madam Albright. Very enlightening and reinforced my resistance to Trump

[ghgvzxbsfy · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It’s astonishing this book was written in 2018. If this book was required reading, no one would be surprised at the 2024 US election outcome, and may have worked harder to prevent the rise of fascism we are facing today.

[Messiah DuPont · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The back lacked focus on the topic of fascism, still a decent book.

[Betty Bennett · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Valuable historical accounts written by a participant in the affairs of state. Eye opening

[hailey ellingham · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

She is a genius with life experience!
And so erudite!! Easy to listen to.

[George Tate · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wonderful book by Madeline Albright! I am going to listen to it again but this time, I will be using a notepad so that I don’t lose the information included in this book. There is so much more here than what I thought there would be I could not stop listening. The book was full of history lessons that we should know – but we do not! I claim that we are deficient in our knowledge of history generally and, in the case of this book, US history since the Civil War specifically. I was not aware of Albright’s broad knowledge of history that is at once Scholarly AND urgent! She used well-placed personal references and anecdotes sparingly.

Please read this book.

[Sofia Montenegro · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Mrs Albright has a really great voice to listen to; clear and loud. And the book itself is really good to. It's more like a history lesson then an analysis of history, but really good.

[xono-908013 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was very enjoyable. It brings up (in my opinion) a few of the street rules of capitalism. 1) What’s in it for me ? And 2) Bullshit walks and money talks. I checked these statements out, and the people I worked for agreed with me.

[Alexander Mozheiko · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It's not about the right wing as the title might suggest. This book is about emerging disturbances and proliferation of easy-to-believe techniques used to secure majority vote for dictatorship be it socialist or conservative. Along detailed critical review of becoming to powers such leaders as Mussolini, Hitler, Erdogan, Maduro, Orban and Putin, Trump is devoted only a brief passage and Ms. Albright is not tempted here to smear dirt on republicans or Trump in particular. I am sure Trump voters will like this book too for its sober and impartial view on totalitarism.

[Tom Wyant · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

She does a great job with historical reference. However, she clearly interprets her leaning politically and fails to tie both political parties in the USA to practices of fascism while providing the definition for it. I feel this book would fully beneficial to the purpose of democracy had she done that. But, as it stands, it tears down one side and fails to call out the other, presently and historically.

[Doug Bond · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A very well informed scholar and historian of 20th and 21 century history.

[Daniel Rijo · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A crash course on the 20th century history. Impressive stories.

[Red Gregory · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It was a nice little history lesson and overview of fascism. I liked the pace.

[Patricia · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Food for thought. should be required reading for all social study classes.

[Shawn McCollum · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Extraordinarily well written and narrated. Madeline Albright is a National treasure. The book is captivating from the start and brings you along on a powerful journey through the relevant and Historical elements of Fascism. The book is a perfectly timed piece of literature that is a must read for anyone not only concerned with the current state of our Country, but the state of Political and cultural affairs Internationally. It is a great contribution to the betterment of our modern society.??

[Tony Biundo · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Brilliant on many levels a great perspective and modern history
From one of the greatest thinkers of the modern era.

[Vaner · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I appreciated so much of reading this amazing books. Thank you very much for penning such a book.

[Konrad Kendrick · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Her facts and knowledge are like a real time playbook to the current events unfolding now. Spot on, I have referred this book several times!

[summerguillory · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A must read before November 3rd. Please read and encourage others to read before the Presidential Elections. We need a clear understanding what is ay stake

[Jade Tan · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

It takes one to know one. This book comes straight from the woman who said of the 500,000 Iraqi children starving to death from US sanctions that “the price was worth it” live on 60 Minutes.

[marcello_324836275 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Such a timely warning to America from one of the nation’s great thinkers. While looking at the past and present, Albright is so clear about how fascism can take root. Once it’s here, it can take thousands or even millions of lives to uproot it. We’re so lucky she had the strength to write this book in her final years. Let’s hope Madeleine Albright can rest in peace.

[Marcelino Decena · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Intellectually provocative and stunningly historical. The assault on global democracy is very obvious as wave after wave of populist leaders are being rewarded with leadership posts to which their policies, body languages, and dogmas are all reminiscence of the era of Fascism.

[Hyperskreem 82 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Communism is more of a threat than “fascism” she uses some mental gymnastics. Couldn’t finish it. It’s 100% propaganda

[r · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Ahh the irony…here we have a true fascist, who decided to write a book, warning about “fascism”. She was delusional. The fascist is the author, here, but sadly, money and power, allowed her, and her sick colleagues, to buy their way out of the truth, replaced by a very polished, completely dishonest pile of nonsense. They (Clinton Administration) actually hired a PR firm to spread propaganda to suit their chosen narrative, and the press fell for it; all of it, specifically the Balkan wars. Big shock. In 2023, if we don’t already know, that everything we have been told by the media, has been a carefully crafted set of lies, we don’t really deserve any better, as a society, than we get.

[Lyndsay · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Author doesn't have a clue what so ever! Trump 2024

[Patrick Wynne · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Garbage propaganda about Trump. This book was written to attack Trump, ironically calling Trump all of the things Biden is in fact doing.

[chris.wolak · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A history of fascism highlighting how it often creeps in with men who’ve been legally elected. A warning that Albright had planned on writing regardless of who was president. A warning to help heat up people’s love of democracy. A warning that it could happen here. I’m not willing to bet it can’t happen here. Are you?

[micareads · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Never have I read a book that is more relevant to the US today. The clear similarities between mistakes made in the past and where our country may be heading now are indisputable. Madeleine Albright did a fantastic job on reviewing times in history and comparing them to the scenes playing out in our every day news.

[michael_lilly-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An important and prescient book. It was written after the Russian annexation of Crimea but before Putin's 2022 invasion of the rest of the Ukraine; after Trump was elected president, but before Trump's defeat when he ran for a second term. I sheds light on these events and helps to make sense of what has happened after the book was written. I give it the highest possible recommendation.

[writemoves · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Albright's book was a pleasant surprise to me. I did not read or hear anything about her book prior to me picking it up at my local library. it is very well written and very informative. Obviously Mrs. Albright possesses a unique perspective on this topic, primarily in her role as Secretary of State. The topic of the book is very timely given the political circumstances around the world and sadly, within the United States.

Mrs. Albright presents an overview of the governing styles of various dictators and national leaders including Hitler, Mussolini, Putin, Chavez, and Kim Jong-il. She had the opportunity to meet with Kim Jong il at the end of the Clinton presidency. Her observations, within the book, are very timely given the proposed summit scheduled for June 12, 2018.

She also expressed her anxiety about the present and future state of democracy within the United States.

I do not ordinarily read books written by political or government officials as they generally have an agenda and one does not get an unbiased view or analysis. But I was very pleased by this book and would recommend it to anyone interested in history, leadership and democracy.