Poland, Post-Communism, and America the Beacon

For those who survived authoritarianism in the 20th century, America was the Shining City on a Hill. Under Trump, we're abandoning that legacy.

By Trygve Olson

This is the second in an eight-part series on the lessons I've learned confronting autocrats over the past twenty-five years. From post-Soviet capitals to American battlegrounds, I’ve seen how authoritarianism grows — and how democracy survives.

In 1995, I said yes to something I didn’t fully understand. A friend at the International Repub…