Ece Temelkuran heard reasonable people in Britain utter these words on the night of the Brexit referendum.
She heard reasonable people in America say them on the night Trump was elected, chanting "Build the wall."
She heard reasonable people in Turkey say them as Erdogan rigged elections, rebuilt the economy on cronyism, and labeled his political opponents as terrorists.
"How to Lose a Country" is a passionate plea, a warning to the world that populism and nationalism erode the foundations of democracy. Award-winning journalist and author Ece Temelkuran identifies the early warning signs of a phenomenon that is manifesting worldwide, in order to define a global trend and equip the reader with the means to dismantle it.
By proposing alternative, global responses to pressing political issues of our time, Temelkuran explores the insidious idea of the "real people," the infantilization of language and public discourse, how laughter can prove to be a false friend, and the dangers that arise from underestimating the opponent. She weaves memoir, history, and incisive arguments into an urgent and eloquent defense of democracy.
Reasonable people can no longer console themselves with the thought that "it couldn't happen here." It is happening. And soon it may be too late.