Masha Gessen

Masha Gessen

Masha Gessen is a Russian-American journalist, translator, and author with extensive experience in LGBTQ rights. Besides writing books, Gessen has also contributed to the New York Times, The Washington Post, The New York Review of Books and many others.

Many books on threats to democracy and the dangers of autocracy to Western democracies have been published since the beginning of Trump’s first term as president. One of such books is Surviving Autocracy. This book explores how Donald Trump has contributed to the United States move from a traditional democracy to an authoritarian regime. Gessen was among the first to make such a claim before the 2016 election, and she expands on her earlier statement, analyzing and illustrating his ideas during his first term with key examples.

Throughout the book, Gessen compares Trump's actions to those of well-known authoritarian presidents. For example, she draws comparisons between Trump and the Russian president Putin, Turkey’s president, and other presidents who have made decisions without regard for their obligations.

Trump has not only tried to circumvent the rules, but to rewrite them "because of" (and not in spite of) his presidency, as if it gave him the right to place himself above the law. She argues that time and again, Trump and his confidants have gone against the rules because they didn’t serve their immediate interests. This misguided stance has not only gone against tradition but also been a deliberate attempt to ignore the established constitutional and international norms. Gessen emphasizes that Trump only cares about the rules when they benefit him.

Some may wonder how Gessen can lend more weight to her views than to those of a merely disillusioned journalist. But the truth is that she has always openly disclosed her background, shaped by a childhood in the Soviet Union and two decades of reporting on the resurgence of totalitarianism in Russia. This experience forms a solid foundation for her analyses and testifies to her direct experience with autocracy.

The book is hence a result of extensive research and offers readers relevant insights into the role of the media. The key chapters thoroughly examine the autocratic aspects of Trump and the America he has shaped. Anyone who wants concrete evidence before making such categorical statements will not be disappointed, as this book provides all the necessary information.

Masha Gessen: Lists & Other Mentions

• The Future Is History was a GQ: The 50 Best Books of Literary Journalism Selection in 2021.

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Masha Gessen: F.A.Q