Cheap How democracies perish (Book) (Jean François Revel) Price

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Customer Reviews of How democracies perish

Dated but pointed
I found that this book contained a number important points that we may be forgetting now that the Cold War is fading into history. In particular, Revel focuses on how the totalitarian Soviet government had a great number of advantages over the western democracies, and how these advantages were used time and time again to ensure small but inevitable victories over the west. Most important were the Soviet's abilities to avoid media coverage of, and internal and external criticism for, its acts; its ability to embark on courses of actions which are not politically expedient, but will bear fruit decades hence; and its ability to be the aggressor.

Such advantages lead the Soviets to a number of small victories over the fifty-year war. Revel correctly pointed out that the west really had few victories over the Soviets before the communist economy finally crumbled a decade ago. For example, the Cuban missile crisis and the Korean war were merely draws for the west, precisely because everything returned to how it was before. Yet Vietnam and Poland were clear victories for the Soviets.

This is a solid work that accurately points out some of the weaknesses of democracies when fighting against totalitarians, and just how close we came to losing the struggle against communism.

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Democracy's failures
This book was excellant. I enjoyed the contrary veiws. Having a contrary thought every now and then is very refreshing. Like his other book, Totalitarian Temptation, this one gives a lot of thought on the problems that liberty, freedom and equality bring. I recommend it for debate, high school and college, and suggest it to anyone who feels that no government is perfect. It tends to be wordy, but that almost makes it better, or at least, gives many different ways to interpet his ideas. His arguements at first appear opposite of American beleifs, but if you really concentrate and want to read it, it will give you an excellant understanding of goverment.