I think we’re in the midst of what Magyar calls the “autocratic attempt,” that’s the first stage when autocracy is still reversible by electoral means.

Masha Gessen That’s a great point.

The author, Masha Gessen has lived in autocracies most of her life, ... “I have learned a few rules for surviving in an autocracy and salvaging your sanity and self-respect. 'Surviving Autocracy' is essential for anyone who says that all politicians are the same. Masha Gessen has written a piece for the New York Review of Books, giving us advice for the next 4 years, and some important historical context, from her experience in autocratic societies. Masha Gessen. "Trumpism in a way is a trap for journalists," says Masha Gessen, author of the new book "Surviving Autocracy." Photograph: Christopher Lane/The Observer Can Americans rely on their institutions – the electoral system, the judiciary, the free press – to save them from Trump’s autocracy? In “Surviving Autocracy,” Gessen finds, no surprise, that such warnings were warranted. Trump was “the first major party nominee who ran not for president but for autocrat," Gessen argues.