Moshe Zimmermann | People Gone Mad: Wie die Demokratie sich selbst zerstört

Book Presentation & Discussion via Online Connection

When and Why Do Democracies Go Off Course?

“People gone mad”—people have gone crazy. Who hasn’t thought that lately? Moshe Zimmermann focuses not on individuals, but on entire societies—“the people”: Where is the tipping point, what is the trigger that causes seemingly stable democracies with a strong civil society to falter, allowing dangerous populists to gain the upper hand or even a fascist “leader” to seize power? What causes people to turn their backs on hard-won fundamental values such as freedom, justice, and solidarity?

In light of a threatening present marked by a growing number of authoritarian regimes, Moshe Zimmermann analyzes striking historical examples such as the Dreyfus Affair in France, McCarthyism in the U.S., the Weimar Republic in Germany, and the reinterpretation of Zionism in Israel. The renowned historian shows how we can track down the enemies of democracy before we reach the “point of no return.”

Moshe Zimmermann will be joining us online.