On Offense for Democracy

A usable field manual for how ordinary people can effectively take action to fight authoritarianism and defend democracy.

Veterans rights advocate, anti-fascist investigator, and On Offense podcast host Kristofer Goldsmith moves beyond understanding to identify where individuals have leverage and how to apply it.

Successful democratic movements depend on specialization, trust, and coordination—not on everyone becoming organizers, investigators, candidates, or public figures. Kristofer Goldsmith argues what ordinary people should actually do is go on offense, and stay on offense, as a way of life, understanding that being vigilant against apathy is the best way to support, promote, defend, and perpetuate democracy.

In this practical guidebook, Goldsmith shares stories, lessons, and insights from his work over the past decade as a veterans rights advocate, anti-fascist investigator, and host of the On Offense podcast about how power works and the ways in which individuals and movements can actually make a difference.

He equips readers with the tools to:
Understand how power actually works.Identify where they personally have leverage.Choose a role that fits their strengths, circumstances, and risk tolerance.Coordinate effectively with others.Apply sustained legal, political, economic, institutional, social, or reputational pressure against anti-democratic actors.
This book provides readers the grounding to think critically about the many ways power deflects, co-opts, and crushes public resistance, building toward a concise set of principles that will help readers decide what they can do to be part of the solution and then continue to contribute to and defend healthy democracy.