Book Review: "Fear" by Robert Peckham

I feel like there are a lot of deals on used books at the moment and this was one of them. I love books that re-examine our lives and times, our histories and the way we have been told certain narratives. This book, entitled Fear: An Alternative History of the World examines our relationship with fear through terrifyingly bad events such as the plague and the AIDS crisis. What drew me to the book was not only that, but the cover which features a plague doctor's mask topped off with a strange looking 1950s gangster-style hat. A lengthy book with big black lettering for its title, I was sure that this book could not possibly disappoint. And it did not. Let's have a look at the points I found most interesting and most shocking...

Robert Peckham presents fear not merely as an emotion but as a fundamental driver of historical events, political movements, and societal transformations. Unlike conventional histories that focus on wars, revolutions, or economic shifts, Peckham examines how fear—both real and manufactured—has shaped human behaviour and decision-making over centuries. From ancient plagues to modern pandemics, from totalitarian regimes to financial crises, the book explores how fear has been wielded as a tool of power, control, and resistance. By reframing history through this lens, Peckham invites the reader to reconsider the narratives that have shaped our world and to recognise fear as an underlying force in global affairs.

The author explores how rulers, from emperors to modern-day politicians, have systematically used fear to control populations and justify extreme measures. Whether through the threat of foreign invasion, internal enemies, or abstract dangers such as moral decay, leaders have frequently positioned themselves as the protectors against existential threats. Historical examples include:

• Robespierre and the Reign of Terror: How fear of counter-revolutionaries justified mass executions.
• The Nazi regime and propaganda: How fear of Jewish people, communists, and other "enemies of the state" led to the consolidation of Hitler’s power.
• Joseph McCarthy and the Red Scare: How Cold War paranoia enabled the persecution of suspected communists in the United States.
• The War on Terror: How post-9/11 fear led to sweeping surveillance laws, military interventions, and a redefinition of civil liberties.

Peckham argues that fear-based governance is not an anomaly but a recurring pattern throughout history, with those in power consistently exploiting it for their own ends.

Economic crises are not merely the result of mathematical calculations and market forces—they are driven by fear. Peckham examines historical moments where mass anxiety has led to financial collapse:

• The South Sea Bubble (1720): How speculation fuelled by both greed and fear of missing out led to a catastrophic stock market crash.
• The Great Depression (1929): How fear of economic collapse led to bank runs and government intervention.
• The 2008 Financial Crisis: How fear of financial ruin spread through global markets, resulting in bank bailouts and austerity policies.

He states that fear is at the core of economic behaviour—both at an individual and systemic level. The fear of losing wealth or missing opportunities often drives reckless decision-making, leading to cycles of boom and bust.

Along with this, religious institutions have historically relied on fear to maintain control and obedience. Peckham explores how different faith traditions have used fear to shape morality and social order: The fear of hell in Christianity, The Reformation and the fear of heresy and Modern religious extremism. Honestly, I think that the religious argument is one of the oldest tricks in the book when it comes to fear.

My personal favourite chapter was 'colonising panic' which starts with looking at whether a human sacrifice felt fear when she was pushed into a volcano. It moves on to speaking about how fear and terror were integral for colonising and creating that split between the natives and those who were colonising. Violence and terror therefore were the most important ideals that colonisers brought with them. This was not just through brutality, but it was also by new disease that the developed western world brought with them.

All in all, I could sit around a talk about this book for ages. Here is a bit of an overview of some more of my favourite parts: 'The Despotism of Liberty' which covers the Robespierre era, 'The Slave Matrix' which has some of the most horrific imagery I have read in the whole book and finally, 'Diabolus Ex Machina' which covers the industrial revolution and the fears about the growing city that came along with it. This was a truly engrossing book.