In the Musk revolution, lessons from the 20th century will be deleted | Rafael Behr

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Democracy's traditional defence against fascism doesn't work against the new far-right hybrid coded in Silicon Valley

History isn't winning the argument. Across Europe and the US, defenders of democracy have mobilised every precedent to warn against a slide into authoritarian rule. They have underlined every rhyme and assonance in the rhetoric of today's far-right movements to highlight echoes of past atrocity. It isn't working.

Evidence of the old virus spreading stimulates vigilance in people who are already alert for the signs, activating the immunity of people who are well vaccinated. They aren't the ones who need convincing.

Rafael Behr is a Guardian columnist