The Road to Unfreedom: Russia, Europe, America by Timothy D. Snyder

In 'The Road to Unfreedom: Russia, Europe, America', Timothy D. Snyder argues that democracy and freedom of choice – or ‘unfreedom’ – are being threatened by authoritarian populism. Drawing on a multi-historical, multi-disciplinary approach, he shows how the same techniques used by ideologues in Russia (such as Vladimir Putin) are now also being applied in Europe and North America. Snyder reveals how the Russian approach to politics – as a selective and temporal form of reality-engineering – has been used to erode public trust in facts and news, reframe political debates and manipulate public opinion.

The Road to Unfreedom begins by tracing the origins of contemporary authoritarian populists to the “post-modern” philosophies of the early 20th century, particularly the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche. These philosophies presented a nihilistic vision of a world without absolutes, undermining the traditional certainties of state and church. A central character in Snyder’s narrative is Aleksandr Dugin, a conservative Russian political philosopher and mentor to Putin who argues for a ‘union of traditionalists’ against the onslaught of cosmopolitanism, globalism, and modernity.

Snyder then explores the ‘breeding-ground’ of authoritarian populism: Russia. The influence of the Soviet Union’s propaganda machine, the spread of the internet, and the emergence of oil-funded television stations gave rise to a highly competitive, inward-looking version of politics. Where the Soviet Union imposed a single narrative on its citizens, post-Soviet Russia presented multiple competing messages. This encouraged citizens to develop their own interpretations of events, creating fertile ground for an alternative vision of reality.

Within Russia, Snyder focuses on the techniques used by Putin and his allies to undermine public trust in facts and news. He argues that they use a technique called ‘reframing’ – manipulating public opinion by presenting a single version of reality, a ‘maverick story’, as the only valid interpretation of events. This narrative is reinforced by distorted and selective media coverage, and acts to displace traditional forms of authority such as politics and law. Snyder also discusses the role of hackers, who are used by the authorities to destabilise political opponents and to spread ‘fake news’ – or ‘kompromat’ – designed to influence public opinion in favour of the Russian regime.

Snyder then charts the current spread of authoritarian populism across the world, using Russia as a template for what is now happening in Europe and North America. He shows how political leaders such as Hungary’s Victor Orban, Donald Trump, and Nigel Farage are using similar techniques to manipulate public opinion and undermine democracy. They use social media platforms and other means to create a culture of ‘information entropy’ and ‘whataboutism’ – the practice of deflecting criticism by pointing out alleged wrongs committed by others, often unrelated to the original issue.

In conclusion, Snyder argues that although authoritarian populism has risen in recent years, it is far from an unstoppable force. He suggests using ‘counter-reframing’ strategies to challenge the maverick story, developing strong civic institutions that can protect the public, representing clear values and standing up for democracy, and working together at all levels to strengthen the public’s trust in facts and news. He also calls for a rethink of how ideas, discourse and opinion are managed and debate facilitated – away from ‘whataboutism’ and towards the re-establishment of objective reality.

'The Road to Unfreedom' is an important book that highlights how democracies can be undermined by authoritarian populism. Snyder brings together compelling evidence to trace the way in which power and ideas flow through and between individuals, countries, and across the world. By exploring the techniques used by Russia, Europe and North America to manipulate public opinion and weaken the foundations of democracy, he provides readers with the necessary tools for defending the freedom of choice that is our democratic right.