Fascism. Can a creeping enthusiasm for World War Two–era totalitarianism prevail in the 21st century? Yale philosopher Jason Stanley thinks so. Not only that, he says: democracies are especially susceptible to fascist ideals.

Populist regimes are gaining ground across the world, and perhaps nowhere have the consequences been more dramatic than in Brazil. Under the chaotic leadership of president Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil has become a major hot spot in the coronavirus pandemic. In this episode, Will and Siva talk to historian Federico Finchelstein about the rise of populism in Brazil and elsewhere in Latin America. For someone who grew up during Argentina’s Dirty War, these current populists trends echo fascist regimes of the past.