Here’s Google’s summary of the podcast for anyone too lazy to listen. But you’re going to have to read more than 2 sentences so prepare yourself:

The Behind the Bastards two-part series, “How The Liberal Media Helped Fascism Win,” explores how establishment press organizations in the 1920s and 1930s normalized figures like Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler. It argues that liberal institutions paved the way for fascists by treating them as legitimate political actors, focusing on order over morality, and failing to sound the alarm until it was too late.

Key Themes of the Series

Legitimizing Autocrats: Mainstream newspapers treated early fascist leaders with immense deference, heavily influenced by a fear of working-class uprisings and communism. By focusing on their “ability to restore order,” these outlets normalized fascist violence and political subversion.

Profit and Sensationalism: The U.S. and European press often viewed fascist movements through the lens of sensationalism and entertainment. Publications profited from the dramatic rhetoric and spectacle, prioritizing high readership and ad revenue over journalistic responsibility.

Both-Sides Rhetoric: The episodes emphasize how “respectable” media outlets consistently attempted to compromise or reason with fascists, mistakenly believing they could be integrated into the existing political framework without destroying liberal democratic norms.

The “Who Goes Nazi?” Analogy: The series draws heavily from historical sociological frameworks, particularly the classic 1941 essay Who Goes Nazi? by Dorothy Thompson, to highlight how the polite, affluent segments of society often capitulate to or accommodate fascism rather than confront it.