Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI

Throughout Nexus, Harari refers to Joseph Stalin as an example of a totalitarian dictator. Stalin, who ruled the Soviet Union from the mid-1920s until his death in 1953, is often regarded as one of the most infamous dictators in modern history. His leadership was marked by the transformation of the Soviet Union into a totalitarian state, characterized by absolute control over all aspects of public and private life, centralized power, suppression of political opposition, and pervasive state surveillance. Stalin’s dictatorship left a profound and controversial legacy, shaping the course of Soviet history and influencing totalitarian regimes elsewhere.

One of the defining features of Stalin’s dictatorship was the use of mass surveillance and repression. The secret police, first known as the OGPU and later the NKVD, played a central role in maintaining Stalin’s grip on power. These agencies were tasked with monitoring the population, rooting out real or perceived “enemies of the state,” and enforcing loyalty to Stalin’s regime. Citizens were encouraged to denounce one another, creating a climate of fear and suspicion. Such methods, Harari suggests, demonstrate how totalitarian states attempt to centralize the flow of information.

Another central feature of Stalin’s dictatorship was the creation of a cult of personality around him. He was portrayed as an infallible leader, a father figure who was guiding the Soviet Union toward a glorious future. The media, literature, art, and education system were all harnessed to promote Stalin’s image as a benevolent and all-powerful ruler. This supposed infallibility reflects the fact that totalitarian states lack self-correcting mechanisms. Since people were too afraid to question their government—and Stalin in particular—there was no way of addressing the issues that plagued the Soviet Union.

Harari also notes the way in which Stalin’s whims and decisions caused widespread suffering. The collectivization effort of the Soviet Union is compared to the witch hunts of the Middle Ages, in which paranoia and conspiracy theory trump truth. Under collectivization, peasant farms were consolidated into large, state-controlled collective farms, and private property was abolished in the countryside. This policy was intended to increase agricultural productivity and generate the resources needed to fund industrialization. However, collectivization had disastrous consequences. Many peasants resisted the policy, resulting in widespread violence and repression. The state responded with brutal force, deporting millions of peasants to labor camps or executing them as “kulaks,” a term used to label wealthier farmers and those resisting collectivization. 

The disruption caused by collectivization and poor planning led to severe food shortages and famines, most notably the Holodomor in Ukraine, where millions of people died of starvation in the early 1930s. In Nexus, Harari uses Stalin and his failures as examples of how the flow of information shapes governments and societies.

Cher Ami was a homing pigeon famous for her role in saving nearly 200 American soldiers during World War I. In October 1918, during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, the 77th Infantry Division found themselves trapped behind enemy lines without the ability to communicate with their own forces. Surrounded by German troops, the battalion endured heavy casualties and was in desperate need of assistance. The soldiers tried to send several carrier pigeons to relay their location and request for help, but many of the birds were shot down. Cher Ami, despite being injured, flew 25 miles back to the American headquarters with a crucial message attached to her leg. The message gave the exact location of the battalion and pleaded for artillery fire to be stopped, as it was mistakenly targeting the trapped American soldiers. Cher Ami arrived with a wounded breast and a nearly severed leg, but her message led to the battalion’s rescue. 

After the war, Cher Ami became a symbol of bravery. She was awarded the French Croix de Guerre for her service and later became a celebrated figure in the United States. Her body is preserved and displayed at the Smithsonian Institution. The story of Cher Ami became an important piece of propaganda, creating a story of bravery that gave a single pigeon an unexpected importance.

However, Harari notes that the story of Cher Ami is not so simple. While she is often remembered as a female pigeon, there are accounts that suggest Cher Ami was actually a male pigeon, with some evidence coming from the taxidermy process. Additionally, there is debate about the extent of Cher Ami’s direct role in saving the Lost Battalion, as communication in wartime is often complex and reliant on multiple factors. Regardless of whether the story is true or not, it illustrates the way in which truth and order can be separated. The story of Cher Ami may not be entirely true, but it did help to preserve social order during a difficult time.