Alexis de Tocqueville and James Bryce crossed the Atlantic in the 19th century to describe America. What they saw helps us understand what we are at risk of losing now.

Read on: open.substack.com/pub/richards...

Science and politics share an important trait. When their paradigms no longer explain reality, a revolution takes place. Thomas S. Kuhn called it a “paradigm shift.” We in the United States are living through one now.

Read on here: open.substack.com/pub/richards...

“Appeasement” once meant "compromise". After Munich, it became synonymous with betrayal. Chamberlain thought he secured “peace for our time.” In truth, he had handed Hitler a victory without a fight. Today, we see echoes of that betrayal.
Read on here: bit.ly/45AOy5Z

Hitler denied food shortages. Trump denies job data. Both deny truth to preserve myth. That path ends in ruin.

Https://open.substack.com/pub/richardstedlow/p/chapter-54-working-toward-the-fuhrer?r=40qjkx&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Lincoln warned that a nation that abandons the rule of law will not last.

Are we witnessing that unraveling today? Read on: open.substack.com/pub/richards...

"Chinatown" isn't just a noir classic—it’s a lens through which we can view the complexities of power, corruption, and human motivation. 

In the latest chapter of 'Dystopias and Demagogues', I revisit this iconic film to explore its chilling relevance today. Read more here: bit.ly/3CtshLJ

“The only thing we have to fear…” FDR’s words changed history. Chapter 24 of 'Dystopias and Demagogues' explores the power of inaugural addresses. Read here: open.substack.com/pub/richards...

#History #USHistory #Politics #USPolitics #FDR #Inauguration

"Chapter 22: Richard Nixon and Donald Trump" compares Nixon’s resignation to Trump’s rise, exploring the fragility of democracy and the lessons we failed to learn.

Read it now: open.substack.com/pub/richards...

#USPolitics #History #Nixon #Trump

The 1964 classic "Seven Days in May" pits democracy against a military coup—and its lessons resonate today. Chapter 21 of 'Dystopias and Demagogues' connects this political thriller to the fragility of modern democracies. Read on here: open.substack.com/pub/richards...