Trump and Hitler: A Comparative Study in Lying 

Prof. Henk de Berg explores one of today's most controversial topics -- the similarities and dissimilarities between Trump and Hitler.

Henk de Berg next and the cover of his new book Trump and Hitles

Henk de Berg has just published Trump and Hitler: A Comparative Study in Lying (Palgrave Macmillan). The book compares Trump and Hitler as political performance artists. For fear of glorifying the two men -- de Berg argues -- we prefer to see them as crazy rather than cunning, short-fused rather than strategic. In doing so, we fatally underestimate their skill set.

The comparison works in both directions: analysing Hitler helps us get a better sense of why Trump has been so successful; and looking at Trump helps us gain a better insight into how Hitler managed to manipulate the German people.

Warning

The book explores their populist self-staging and rhetorical strategies and explains how they connected with their respective audiences. It analyses the two men’s character, work ethic, and management style. In addition, it addresses seemingly peripheral issues like the reasons behind Hitler’s toothbrush moustache and Trump’s hairstyle. 

By exploring the death of German democracy in the 1930s and the dangers of illiberal democracy today, the book warns against the lure of populism and ethnonationalism across the ages.

Henk de Berg interviewed by Anotida Chikumbu on his new book 'Trump and Hitler'

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