Historian Timothy Snyder: Trump Runs US Foreign Policy Like an Organized Criminal
As the US midterm elections take place, historian Timothy Snyder told France 24 the vote may decide whether America moves toward open rule by tech oligarchs. He stresses, however, that the outcome is not predetermined, citing grassroots resilience.
As Americans voted in the US midterm elections for Congress, Timothy Snyder, a historian and professor at the University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs, spoke to France 24 about the future of American democracy, the growing political influence of technology billionaires and the risks of a new Gilded Age. The interview was hosted by François Picard. Snyder is the author of the books On Tyranny and On Freedom.
Billionaires and power
Snyder draws parallels with the "robber barons" of nineteenth-century America. He argues that the vast wealth and influence of today's technology magnates could turn democratic institutions into instruments of private power. Unlike the original Gilded Age, which was followed by antitrust legislation and progressive reforms, there is no guarantee that history will repeat itself.
In his view, the election is largely about whether the faltering president, Donald Trump, becomes a transition to more or less open rule by some tech oligarchs. Snyder also contrasts the US with Vladimir Putin's Russia: there, Putin sits at the top of an oligarchic hierarchy, while in America technology billionaires have the financial power and political leverage to use Trump as a gateway to influence in government.
Cynicism as a threat
Another danger, according to the historian, is the normalization of corruption through political cynicism, which persuades citizens that everyone cheats and no real alternative exists. This, he suggests, is how authoritarian politics can take hold, by making democracy look like merely a contest between different forms of corruption.
Reasons for hope
Snyder nonetheless insists the outcome is not predetermined. Although the electoral system is distorted by money and unequal political influence, he sees signs of resilience in grassroots organizing, public protests and Americans' determination to vote. The question is not only whether Democrats can regain control of Congress, but whether Americans still believe democratic politics can make a difference. "The encouraging thing is that we're not there yet," he said.
