Twilight of Democracy

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Anne Applebaum, a distinguished historian of communism and contemporary politics, addresses a pressing question: how did democracy falter? In this urgent and insightful work, she explores the disillusionment of those who once championed democratic ideals, now succumbing to deceitful leaders. This deeply personal account combines analysis, reportage, and memoir to reveal the troubling trajectory of a political generation. In the years surrounding the fall of the Berlin Wall, a sense of achievement and camaraderie united diverse political groups in Europe and America. However, as time passed, this euphoria faded, common goals diminished, and extremism resurfaced, leading to fractured relationships. Applebaum examines this decline through the lens of individuals entangled in significant public events over the past three decades. As politics becomes polarized, individuals—journalists, intellectuals, civic leaders—face difficult choices regarding the rise of authoritarianism and nationalism. When leaders distort history, propagate conspiracies, or undermine media and judiciary integrity, how should one respond? This essay uniquely intertwines personal experiences with political analysis, offering fresh insights into the dynamics of public life in Europe and America, both present and past.