It Can't Happen Here

It Can’t Happen Here is Sinclair Lewis’ remarkable political satire and propagandized account of the rise of an American fascist.

Perhaps what makes it most compelling is the fact that Lewis penned this book just a couple of years after Hitler’s ascent to power (and a full 13 years before Orwell’s 1984). Lewis was an astute and keen observer of political power, serving as a canary in the coal mine for a world that would soon endure great grief.

Considering that Lewis published this in 1935, it is eerily uncanny how his fictitious predictions about American despotism would, four years later, parallel the Nazi blitzkrieg. What is also noteworthy is Lewis’ ability to create a uniquely American dictator. This is not a swastika-brandishing Teuton or an Italian variety autocrat, but someone who rises to power by quoting folksy barbs and appealing to the New World everyman.

Moreover, this book is an endearing call to arms for people to stand up to tyranny, even in its early stages, and to be vigilant of the societal symptoms of fascist beginnings. Finally, it is simply a good story told by a brilliant writer. Published 5 years after he received his Nobel Prize in literature, it is generally regarded as the best of his later work.

Recommended.

** 2018 - In the last couple of years, people have looked at this book and drawn comparisons with the current US president. I'm not so sure about that, but what is remarkable is Lewis' uncanny prediction in 1935, two years after Hitler rose to power, about a populace willing to elect and support such a demagogue. My own aversion to partisan politics blames our two-party system for the recent unpleasantness and calls into question the idea, as presented by Lewis here, of blind obedience.

The first thing you might want to be clear about when you pick up this novel is that Sinclair Lewis is not Upton Sinclair. This fact is often overlooked. For example, about a week after November 8th, 2016, when I took "It Can't Happen Here" to a clerk at Barnes & Noble, he mistakenly thought I was referring to Upton Sinclair's "Oil!". It wasn't until I got back to my car that I realized his error. Some may doubt my hypothesis, but I'm almost certain they are two different people. Upton Sinclair wrote "The Jungle" and "Oil!", and ran for governor of California in 1934, while Sinclair Lewis wrote this book and many others. Adding to the confusion, Lewis and Sinclair knew each other, and Lewis gave Sinclair a guest appearance in this novel.

Let's be frank. This is not a good novel. The introduction warns that the writing displays haste, and many reviewers have complained about the loose plot, flat characters, weak dialogue, padded political discourse, awkward sentimentality, and heavy-handed satire. I agree with all these criticisms. Even the last hundred pages, which are the best and darkest, are still marked by plot improvisation, sketched scenes, and mawkish humor. The novel's afterword clarifies that it was written in just five months, which explains a few things. However, reviewers seem to agree that you should read this book for its ideas, not its style.

Buzz Windrip, the main character, is a fictional dictator whom Donald Trump resembles. Windrip rises to power on a platform of economic populism, xenophobia, and a mishmash of contradictory ideas. He has a hypnotic effect on crowds and maintains a symbiotic relationship with a shadowy advisor. Lewis also has interesting things to say about the nature of fascism and the difficulties in responding to it. Supporters of different political parties in the novel argue over minutiae instead of banding together to fight Windrip because they lack the experience of fascism and treat it with too much fairness. Fascism is a brutal and autocratic ideology that changes people, and Lewis demonstrates this through his characters.

The title of the novel, "It Can't Happen Here", is not exactly subtle. Lewis scatters straw men throughout the early chapters to make the point that it could happen here. While it may be happening in the US and other countries, it's hard to imagine it happening in exactly the way the novel describes. Things are stranger and more complex these days, and the novel that makes sense of it all may not have been written yet.

I have always held the belief that should fascism ever rear its ugly head in America, it would arrive disguised in the red, white, and blue, accompanied by patriotic anthems and citations from the founding fathers. It would be highly nationalistic, glorifying military undertakings and exalting soldiers to the status of heroes. The race question would be dealt with in a subtle yet impactful manner. It would forge an alliance with conservative Christian churches, thereby making life difficult for those who do not conform. The rich, the powerful, and their political backers would be given free rein. Democratic ideals would be disregarded and substituted with a form of Americanism that promotes love of country over love of people. Make no mistake, with the right kind of rhetoric and influence, American fascism is a distinct possibility.

Sinclair Lewis' book, It Can't Happen Here, vividly描绘了这样一个美国。 His dystopia is set in the 1930s, a time of depression when extreme solutions to economic woes were plentiful. However, if you believe that it couldn't occur here and now, think again. Of course, they won't label it as "fascism," but we already have Americans who subscribe to such thinking.

A friend of mine who was recently in London informed me that all the bookshops there had Roth's The Plot Against America and It Can't Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis. Alarmist? Maybe. But as I already stated in my review of The Plot Against America, perhaps not.

In It Can't Happen Here, instead of Lindbergh defeating FDR as in The Plot Against America, we have a populist Windrip who takes the Democratic nomination in 1936 by storm, promising $5000 to each American citizen and easily crushing the Republican opposition. Before becoming President (and later dictator), Windrip wrote a populist book called Zero Hour, which was your typical Trumpian boisterous blather about the evils of everyone except himself and an espousal of views about making America great again (but not in so many words). Doremus Jessup is the protagonist, an ageing editor for the Vermont Daily Informer. As events unfold, he goes from "It Can't Happen Here" to "Oh shit, it has already happened."

Windrip issues a 15-point plan that has some parallels to Trump's platform and appoints equally unqualified people to his inner circle. Doremus' characterization of Windrip in Chapter 9, "The Senator was vulgar, almost illiterate, a public liar almost detected, and in his 'ideas' almost idiotic, while his celebrated piety was that of a traveling salesman for church furniture, and yet his more celebrated humor the shy cynicism of a country store," certainly fits Trump to an extent.

Worse, Windrip "in between tricks would coldly and almost contemptuously jab his crowds with figures and facts - figures and facts that were inescapable even when, as often happened, they were entirely wrong," which is of course pure "Trump on Twitter."

Lewis' book is even more pessimistic than Roth's because America descends into a mess of mass murders under the Gestapo-like Militia Men (M.M.) corps, which are deployed nationwide and terrorize all sectors of the population, preferably the educated, Jewish, and anyone even suspected of whispering slander against the administration. It is a terrifying narrative and - again unlike Roth - does NOT have a happy ending.

We were warned at least twice by our own writers (and also by Orwell and others outside of the US) about letting ignorant populism take over American politics. I hope that the dire sequence of events under the fictional Windrip will not be replicated by the reality of Trump, but sometimes fact is even stranger and more terrifying than fiction.

I like how Doremus sums it up near the end: "More and more, as I think about history, I am convinced that everything that is worthwhile in the world has been accomplished by the free, inquiring critical spirit, and that the preservation of this spirit is more important than any social system whatsoever. But the men of ritual and barbarism are capable of shutting up the men of science and silencing them forever."

A must-read.

Unfortunately, it gets more real every passing day :/

Incredible that every passing day things continue to devolve into what Sinclair Lewis envisioned. Yesterday's hate-filled publicity inciting gun owners to rise against liberals is not dissimilar from Windrip's use of the MM for fomenting racist attacks. Not to mention Trump's sexist tweets against Morning Joe. How many Doremuses will there be to #resist this current frontal assault on American democracy?

Time continues to pass by, and unfortunately, it continues to happen here in the world.

UPDATE: Dorothy Thompson, Sinclair Lewis's wife at the time, penned an article titled "Who Goes Nazi?" In it, she speculates which of her fellow Americans at a party would turn into Nazis if given the chance. It's truly a captivating read and a parlour game worth resurrecting.

To give you a taste, it seems Trump might have been at that party. The description goes like this: "I think young D over there is the only born Nazi in the room. Young D is the spoiled only son of a doting mother. He has never faced any opposition in his life. He spends his days seeing what he can get away with. He's constantly getting arrested for speeding, and his mother pays the fines. He's been heartless towards two wives, and his mother pays the alimony. His life is all about seeking sensation and being theatrical. He's completely inconsiderate of everyone. He's good-looking in a vacuous, cavalier way and extremely vain. He would surely fancy himself in a uniform that allows him to swagger and lord it over others."

There's no better time to read this book than now, perhaps except for this time next year.

The story in Sinclair Lewis’ “It Couldn’t Happen Here” is a familiar one. Fascism arrives in America via the ballot box, faithfully following the path first taken by the Nazis.

These days, we've learned from history and view grandstanding debates and political rallies filled with bright lights, loud music, and low-level violence with suspicion. But in this age, these are just distractions from the true home of a new American fascism.

Different from the Nazis' fascism, a modern American fascism would be born not in the democratic process but in the law. It would take its first steps far from the noisy rallies and safe from public scrutiny in the grey offices of corporate lobbyists and the proceedings of dull committees. A modern American fascism would be a tyranny of legal opinion, an oppression of outsourcing contracts, and a dictatorship of draft regulations.

In dull back rooms, mediocre lawyers would write legal opinions justifying torture, and the majority of the public would support its use. Police would be given legal powers to seize property on flimsy grounds and keep it for their own enjoyment. In drab state courtrooms, judges would boost their salaries by sending innocent children to jail. Prisons run for profit would be indistinguishable from concentration camps. Inmates would be sentenced to decades in jail for minor crimes and forced to work for nominal wages to supply goods.

“It Couldn’t Happen Here” was extremely popular when first published and deserves recognition for the public debate it sparked in its time. However, it would need a thorough rewrite to play the same role in our more complex, subtle, yet no less dangerous age.

Originally published in 1935, Sinclair Lewis' book, It Can't Happen Here, is eerily disturbing.

As we look at the lead up to World War II, the themes and events in the book seem almost prophetic.

The restrictions on women's rights, where their main responsibility is reduced to reproducing and having six children and raising them, is a chilling portrayal.

The behaviors and policies of the leaders described in the book are equally frightening.

Even in current events, we can see some parallels and be reminded of the importance of being vigilant against such extreme and unjust scenarios.

Lewis' work serves as a powerful reminder that the threats to our freedoms and values can lurk just beneath the surface, and we must always be on guard to prevent them from becoming a reality.

This extraordinary novel from 1935

predicts with uncanny accuracy the American political situation of 2016.

It contains authentic and frightening warnings.

Sinclair Lewis satirizes with biting humor the potential for America to succumb to populist demagogues.

These demagogues have nothing to say except what people want to hear.

The novel also shows the terrible consequences of the people's naïvete.

It is a must-read for anyone interested in American politics and history.

The story is engaging and thought-provoking,

making it a classic that still holds relevance today.

By reading this novel,

readers can gain a deeper understanding of the complex issues

that shape our political landscape.

It serves as a reminder that we must always be vigilant

and not be swayed by empty promises and false hopes.

Overall, this novel is a powerful and important work

that should not be missed.

Written in 1935, this novel has experienced a sudden resurgence due to world events that bear an eerie resemblance. The story chronicles the rise of the next President of the United States, Berzelius ‘Buzz’ Windrip, mainly through the eyes of small town journalist Doremus Jessup (yes, there are some very unusual names in this novel!), his family, and local community.

Obviously, this novel was penned during the era of rising fascism in Europe. The author has astutely incorporated those events and the complacency of people who believe that dictators cannot emerge ‘here,’ regardless of what ‘here’ represents. So, we have the bullying, bluffing, pretend humble, and opinionated Buzz Windrip (does it sound familiar?). His every outrageous and offensive comment is instantly forgiven by his adoring followers (again…). With the assistance of a shadowy puppet master and a horde of thugs named the ‘Minute Men,’ he pushes and shoves his way to the top.

Windrip is charismatic and power-hungry, promising to restore the country to prosperity and greatness and assuring every ‘real’ citizen (real according to his definition, of course) a sum of money, ranging from $3 to $5000 per year. One of those hoping to benefit from these promises is Shad Ledre, who works for Doremus Jessup. Sly, lazy, and vicious, he exploits the new regime to rise to power and lord it over those who were nominally in charge before the changes. For soon, there is a new balance of power, and attacks on academics, the judiciary, and the press commence.

This is truly a thought-provoking novel about heeding false promises and accepting those attacks on freedom that are taken for granted until they are no longer present. It offers a great deal to discuss and is a perfect read for book groups, especially in the current political climate.