Travel expert Rick Steves spoke with Boston Public Radio on Thursday about the parallels between 1930s facist Europe and the tactics being used in the United States now.
"If we look at what Europe went through — and it wasn't just Germany, half of Europe was fascist back in the 1930s — they had a playbook for these dictators," Steves said. "And when you look at the far-right today, not just in the United States but countries all around Europe, you see that there are wanna-be dictators that are using the same tactics to derail their democracies."
Some such similar tactics are an emphasis on law and order, as well as stoking fear of politics on the left, Steves added.
"Hitler really rose to power by scaring people about communism or the far-left, and today we hear stories about Antifa and how the far-left can derail our country, but it's being used by the right," he said. "We need to learn from history and history is speaking to us right now."
Rick Steves is an author, television and radio host, and the owner of “Rick Steves' Europe” tour group. You can catch "Rick Steves’ Europe" weeknights at 7:30 on WGBH 2, and his radio show “Travel With Rick Steves” Sundays at 4:00 on WGBH.
