Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past

Instant New York Times Bestseller

A searing, vital work of political analysis and investigation of the Republican Party’s dangerous campaign to rewrite recent history in real time, from the Emmy Award-winning Rachel Maddow Show producer and bestselling author of The Impostors.

“There is nobody who is writing in an episodic way who has more influence on the way I think about politics than Steve Benen.” —Rachel Maddow

For as long as historical records have existed, authoritarian regimes have tried to rewrite history to suit their purposes, using their dictatorial powers to create myths, spread propaganda, justify decisions, erase opponents, and even dispose of crimes.

As the Republican Party becomes increasingly radicalized, the GOP is putting their own twist on a similarly despotic script. Indeed, the party is taking dangerous, aggressive steps to rewrite history in a campaign of political propaganda—and not just from generations past.

Unable to put a positive spin on Trump-era scandals and fiascos, GOP voices and their allies have grown determined to rewrite the stories of the last few years of Trump-era politics—from the 2020 election results and the horror of January 6th to their own legislative record—treating the recent past as an enemy to be overpowered, crushed, and conquered. The consequences for our future, in turn, are dramatic.

Extraordinarily timely and undeniably important, Steve Benen’s new book tells the staggering chronicle of the Republican party’s unsettling attempts at historical revisionism. It reveals not only how dependent they have grown on the tactic, but also how dangerous the consequences are if we allow the party to continue. The stakes, Benen argues, couldn’t be higher: the future of democracy hinges on both our accurate understanding of events and the end of alternative narratives that challenge reality.

This urgent work of investigative journalism unpacks the GOP’s methodical assault on the truth, revealing:

• Misinformation Campaigns: An inside look at the coordinated efforts to distort the truth about everything from the 2020 election and the horror of January 6th to the GOP’s own legislative record.
• Historical Revisionism: A deep dive into the authoritarian playbook of rewriting the recent past to erase scandals, justify decisions, and create politically convenient myths.
• Political Propaganda: An examination of how the Republican Party and its allies have grown dependent on treating facts and reality as enemies to be conquered in real time.
• Threats to Democracy: A clear-eyed analysis of the staggering consequences for our future if alternative narratives are allowed to replace our shared understanding of events.