'Erasing History': Yale Prof. Jason Stanley on Why Fascists Attack Education & Critical Inquiry

We speak with Yale philosophy professor Jason Stanley, author of the new book Erasing History: How Fascists Rewrite the Past to Control the Future, which examines the global rise of authoritarianism in the United States, Russia, Israel and beyond. He says attacks on education are a key part of the fascist toolkit to undermine democracy and pluralism. "They're attacking the institutions, the universities, because the universities provide critical inquiry into the kind of myths that's required for these kinds of politics," says Stanley.

[Ahng_Noying]

You know a man is too far gone when they quote Nixon in a positive light.

[TheeDavidDee]

Dr. Jason Stanley is a name that should be known to all Americans. He has the MAGA movement and their Christofascist threat diagnosed to perfection. We all stand to gain from his wisdom and we are grateful for his contributions.

[njayaram]

Thank you, Professor Stanley, for bringing up what's happening in India.

[zywvyxz]

All of the trolls who are leaving comments are only helping the algorithm. You're helping Democracy Now reach more people, and your doing it for free. Good work, thanks for your support

[hwilson]

Orwell was right, just got the date wrong😢

[danielguzman]

I love Jason Stanley. He has some of the deepest investigations, genealogies of fascism. It is very illuminating.

[eltorocal]

I like Presidential candidates who arent targeted and shot at by their own voters

[thecatsbackyard]

JD Vance: "The Haitian immigrants are eating cats but not really; that was made up".
Also JD Vance: Hey tone down your rhetoric

[Busto]

In my younger days, I was taught that 'Murica was a melting pot. When did we stop believing that? I always thought a liberal education was the point of higher education. Liberal as defined by the Oxford dictionary. Willing to respect or accept behavior or opinions different from one's own; open to new ideas.
But a small taste of power can corrupt all of that.

[AnnRead-pk]

An article in the Intercept in January 2023 describes how Reagan was persuaded to cut off state funding of higher education in California in 1967. The reason: an educated public is a threat to the ruling class. I’ve been watching the damage develop across the country ever since.

[theresamcmullen]

This is why I give money to this news organization.

[satnamo]

Fascism is an emerging zeitgeist because the whole world seems to have descended into fascism and nationalism 🇵🇸

[DaveE]

This is why it’s important to learn psychological warfare strategies and tactics and also counter insurgency strategies and tactics because that’s what they use and our kids need to understand this too

[waxon]

The perspective of my high school history classes (1976-80) was almost exclusively that of "great white men": generals, presidents, robber baron philanthropists, etc. Even in college, I had to actively seek out other perspectives. The books of the great Howard Zinn helped get me started exploring non-dominant histories.

[RobertaSirgutz]

My son was born in 1995, and attended the. Lehman College H.S. of American Studies, in one of NYC's excellent Specialized H.S system. The very DAY a verdict was reached about the Citizens United decision, it was the topic of discussion and debate. Public institutions education had been known for their example of meritocracy.

And these kids were PREPARED for a 4 year University education. Admission requirements have been watered down considerably.

[andrewpierce]

They never say what is true…they say what has to be true to justify what they plan to do.

[sandal_thong]

What's sad is we didn't get a book like his _How Fascism Works_ in 1942. If we taught it in schools good people might have known what to do when McCarthyism showed up a few years later. It wasn't just against communism, but against liberalism: new ideas like equal rights for women, Blacks, and gays. It set back reform in America (and worldwide) over ten years, which resulted in all kinds of protests coming together at the same time in the late 1960s.

But you'd think university presidents would have learned about it, too, so they weren't made to look the fools when testifying before a McCarthyistic Congress.

[vivavasquez]

what kind of drugs are the RNC cutting their fog machine with.

[RoseIceTea]

Conservatives just keep getting weirder by the seconds

[workingtoseethelight]

It is surreal that this is finally actually happening. Peace to all those who suffer. Infinite Blessings for your hard work and for sharing your knowledge and wisdom.