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How Democracies Die

January 01, 1970

How Democracies Die is a 2018 comparative politics book by Harvard University political scientists Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt about democratic backsliding and how elected leaders can gradually subvert the democratic process to increase their power. The book also offers stark warnings about the impact of the Republican Party and Donald Trump's presidency on U.S. democracy.

How Democracies Die
First paperback edition
AuthorsSteven Levitsky, Daniel Ziblatt
Cover artistChristopher Brand
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
SubjectsPolitics
Political theory
Comparative politics
Political science
PublisherCrown (publisher)
Publication date
16 January 2018 (2018-01-16)
Media typePrint (hardcover, paperback, e-book, audio book)
Pages320
ISBN978-1-5247-6293-3
OCLC1082520793
321.8
LC ClassJC423 .L4855

The Economist praised it as arguably the most important book of the Trump era.

Synopsis edit

The book warns against the breakdown of "mutual toleration" and respect for the political legitimacy of the opposition. This tolerance involves accepting the results of a free and fair election where the opposition has won, in contrast with advocacy for overthrow or spurious complaints about the election mechanism. The authors also assert the importance of respecting the opinions of those who come to legitimately different political opinions, in contrast to attacking the patriotism of any who disagree, or warning that if they come to power they will destroy the country.

The authors cite the various branches of government in a system with separation of powers have actions available to them that could completely undermine the other branches or the opposition. The authors warn against ramming through a political agenda or accumulating power by playing "constitutional hardball" with tactics like court packing, stonewalling nominations, or abusing the power of the purse, and recommend "forbearance" and some degree of cooperation to keep government functioning in a balanced fashion. Other threats to democratic stability cited by the authors include economic inequality and segregation of the political parties by race, religion, and geography.

The authors dedicate many chapters to the study of the United States, Donald Trump, and the 2016 U.S. presidential election but also apply their theory to Latin America and European countries, especially Venezuela and Russia. According to them, the United States has, until 2016, resisted the attempts to undermine democracy thanks to two norms: mutual toleration and forbearance, the latter defined as the intentional restraint of one's power in order to respect the spirit of the law if not its letters. They finally predict three potential scenarios for the post-Trump United States.

Analysis edit

Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt, Harvard professors and political scientists, study the prospect of the democratic system in an holistic approach, and take a critical stand of the Trump presidency. They describe their work as a study of how democracies die. The main subjects are drawn in the introduction: the authors argue that in our time, democracies still die but by different means, "less at the hand of men with guns and more by elected leaders". The methodology used is mainly based on the "comparative method" and it is a book that tries to "reveal about our future" based on history, more specifically on historical comparisons (finding similar dynamics, presenting models of "gatekeeping" and the "rhymes" of history). The object of the study is the president Trump as an "autocrat in becoming" and, a comparison with state failures and autocrats. The study assesses the risk of his presidency and tries to identify the pattern of autocratic tendencies.

Recommendations of the authors edit

Levitsky and Ziblatt accept the fear of the Trump presidency as legitimate and pledge for the protection of the democracy. Particularly the last chapter saving democracy, put emphasis on political recommendations to save democracy in a pledge: "We must be humble and bold. We must learn from other countries to see the warning signs. We must be aware of the fateful missteps that have wrecked other democracies. We must see how citizens have risen to meet the great democratic crisis of the past."[1] A proposed solution to the crisis is that "[w]e must not only restore democratic norms but extend them through the whole of increasingly diverse societies. This is a daunting challenge ... this is the challenge we face, previous generations ... made extraordinary sacrifice ... we must prevent it from dying from within ... ."[2]

They make recommendations for the Republicans, who "must build a more diverse electoral constituency and they must find ways to win elections without appealing to white nationalism, the sugar high of populism, nativism, and demagoguery",[3] and who has to "realize that the president could inflict real damage on our institutions in the long term."[4] About Democrats, they write: "Although the Democratic party has not been the principal driver of America deepening polarization it could play a role in reducing it."[5] They say that "Democrats could consider more comprehensive labor market policies ... it is imperative that Democrats address the issue of inequality."[6]

In an interview, Levitsky identifies two objectives of the book: one is defeating Trump and the other is shoring up our democracy.[7] Finally, they suggest that the effect of the Trump presidency could be a mild form of competitive authoritarianism.[8]

Reception edit

In 2021, The Economist described it as arguably the most important book of the Trump era.[9] The New York Times called it an essential guide to what can happen in the United States.[10] The Washington Post said the book offers a sober look at the current state of affairs.[11] Jason Willick in The Wall Street Journal called it an unintentional clarifying lesson.[12] David Runciman in The Guardian called it provocative but puts too much emphasis on lessons from history instead of forces like social media and inequality.[13] John Ikenberry in Foreign Affairs called it a powerful wake-up call.[14] Fair Observer[better source needed] called it an original contribution valuable to researchers, policy makers, and citizens.[15]

Columbia University historian Adam Tooze described the book as the "most thought-provoking book comparing democratic crises in different nations".[16] Barack Obama listed the book on his "Favorite Books of 2018" list.[17] In a scholarly review, political theorist Rosolino A. Candela praised the work and concluded that academics will find "much to learn, unpack, and develop".[18]

The book was on The New York Times Bestseller list.[19] The book was awarded with the German NDR Kultur Sachbuchpreis 2018.[20]

Joe Biden read the book in 2018, sometimes carrying it with him that year to share passages.[21][22]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Levitsky & Ziblatt 2018, p. 10.
  2. ^ Levitsky & Ziblatt 2018, p. 231.
  3. ^ Levitsky & Ziblatt 2018, p. 223.
  4. ^ Levitsky & Ziblatt 2018, p. 189.
  5. ^ Levitsky & Ziblatt 2018, p. 226.
  6. ^ Levitsky & Ziblatt 2018, p. 229.
  7. ^ Chotiner, Isaac (2018). "The State of American Democracy After a year of Trump, how worried should we be?". Slate.
  8. ^ Levitsky, Steven; Way, Lucan A. (April 2002). "Elections Without Democracy: The Rise of Competitive Authoritarianism" (PDF). Journal of Democracy. 13 (2 April). Retrieved 3 October 2023 – via Harvard University.
  9. ^ "The terrible scenes on Capitol Hill illustrate how Donald Trump has changed his party". The Economist. 9 January 2021. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  10. ^ Kristof, Nicholas (10 January 2018). "Trump's Threat to Democracy". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 10 January 2018. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  11. ^ Caryl, Christian (11 January 2018). "Can American democracy withstand its latest assault?". The Washington Post.
  12. ^ Willick, Jason (24 January 2018). "Review: Polarized Societies and 'How Democracies Die'". Wall Street Journal.
  13. ^ Runciman, David (24 January 2018). "How Democracies Die review – Trump and the shredding of norms". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  14. ^ Ikenberry 2018.
  15. ^ Kolasa, Matthew (15 August 2018). "How Democracies Die Around the World". Fair Observer. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  16. ^ Tooze, Adam (6 June 2019). "Democracy and Its Discontents". New York Review of Books. ISSN 0028-7504. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  17. ^ Alfaro, Mariana. "Obama says these were his 29 favorite books of 2018". Business Insider. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  18. ^ Candela, Rosolino A. (2018). "Book review - How Democracies Die". The Independent Review. 23 (2). Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  19. ^ "Combined Print & E-Book Nonfiction Books - Best Sellers - February 25, 2018 - The New York Times". The New York Times. 25 February 2018. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  20. ^ "Levitsky und Ziblatt erhalten Sachbuchpreis 2018". NDR.de (in German). 12 November 2018. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
  21. ^ "Weightlifting, Gatorade, birthday calls: Inside Biden's day". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  22. ^ Osnos, Evan. "Can Biden's Center Hold?". The New Yorker. Retrieved 25 May 2021.

Bibliography edit

  • Berman, S. (2018). A Discussion of Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt’s How Democracies Die. Perspectives on Politics, 16(4), 1092-1094. doi:10.1017/S1537592718002852
  • Bunce, V. (2018). A Discussion of Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt's How Democracies Die. Perspectives on Politics, 16(4), 1103–1104. doi:10.1017/S1537592718002839
  • Connolly, W. (2018). A Discussion of Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt's How Democracies Die. Perspectives on Politics, 16(4), 1095–1096. doi:10.1017/S1537592718002888
  • Cramer, K. (2018). A Discussion of Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt's How Democracies Die. Perspectives on Politics, 16(4), 1097–1098. doi:10.1017/S1537592718002876
  • Ikenberry, G. John (2018). "How Democracies Die". Foreign Affairs. No. March/April.
  • Levitsky, Steven; Ziblatt, Daniel (2018). How Democracies Die. New York: Crown. ISBN 978-1524762933.
  • Parker, C. (2018). A Discussion of Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt's How Democracies Die. Perspectives on Politics, 16(4), 1099–1100. doi:10.1017/S153759271800289X
  • Pérez-Liñán, A. (2018). A Discussion of Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt's How Democracies Die. Perspectives on Politics, 16(4), 1101–1102. doi:10.1017/S1537592718003043

External links edit

  • How Democracies Die' Authors Say Trump Is A Symptom Of 'Deeper Problems NPR, 22 January 2018
  • Penguin Publisher Website

January 01, 1970
democracies, 2018, comparative, politics, book, harvard, university, political, scientists, steven, levitsky, daniel, ziblatt, about, democratic, backsliding, elected, leaders, gradually, subvert, democratic, process, increase, their, power, book, also, offers. How Democracies Die is a 2018 comparative politics book by Harvard University political scientists Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt about democratic backsliding and how elected leaders can gradually subvert the democratic process to increase their power The book also offers stark warnings about the impact of the Republican Party and Donald Trump s presidency on U S democracy How Democracies DieFirst paperback editionAuthorsSteven Levitsky Daniel ZiblattCover artistChristopher BrandCountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglishSubjectsPoliticsPolitical theoryComparative politicsPolitical sciencePublisherCrown publisher Publication date16 January 2018 2018 01 16 Media typePrint hardcover paperback e book audio book Pages320ISBN978 1 5247 6293 3OCLC1082520793Dewey Decimal321 8LC ClassJC423 L4855 The Economist praised it as arguably the most important book of the Trump era Contents 1 Synopsis 2 Analysis 2 1 Recommendations of the authors 3 Reception 4 See also 5 References 6 Bibliography 7 External linksSynopsis editThe book warns against the breakdown of mutual toleration and respect for the political legitimacy of the opposition This tolerance involves accepting the results of a free and fair election where the opposition has won in contrast with advocacy for overthrow or spurious complaints about the election mechanism The authors also assert the importance of respecting the opinions of those who come to legitimately different political opinions in contrast to attacking the patriotism of any who disagree or warning that if they come to power they will destroy the country The authors cite the various branches of government in a system with separation of powers have actions available to them that could completely undermine the other branches or the opposition The authors warn against ramming through a political agenda or accumulating power by playing constitutional hardball with tactics like court packing stonewalling nominations or abusing the power of the purse and recommend forbearance and some degree of cooperation to keep government functioning in a balanced fashion Other threats to democratic stability cited by the authors include economic inequality and segregation of the political parties by race religion and geography The authors dedicate many chapters to the study of the United States Donald Trump and the 2016 U S presidential election but also apply their theory to Latin America and European countries especially Venezuela and Russia According to them the United States has until 2016 resisted the attempts to undermine democracy thanks to two norms mutual toleration and forbearance the latter defined as the intentional restraint of one s power in order to respect the spirit of the law if not its letters They finally predict three potential scenarios for the post Trump United States Analysis editSteven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt Harvard professors and political scientists study the prospect of the democratic system in an holistic approach and take a critical stand of the Trump presidency They describe their work as a study of how democracies die The main subjects are drawn in the introduction the authors argue that in our time democracies still die but by different means less at the hand of men with guns and more by elected leaders The methodology used is mainly based on the comparative method and it is a book that tries to reveal about our future based on history more specifically on historical comparisons finding similar dynamics presenting models of gatekeeping and the rhymes of history The object of the study is the president Trump as an autocrat in becoming and a comparison with state failures and autocrats The study assesses the risk of his presidency and tries to identify the pattern of autocratic tendencies Recommendations of the authors edit Levitsky and Ziblatt accept the fear of the Trump presidency as legitimate and pledge for the protection of the democracy Particularly the last chapter saving democracy put emphasis on political recommendations to save democracy in a pledge We must be humble and bold We must learn from other countries to see the warning signs We must be aware of the fateful missteps that have wrecked other democracies We must see how citizens have risen to meet the great democratic crisis of the past 1 A proposed solution to the crisis is that w e must not only restore democratic norms but extend them through the whole of increasingly diverse societies This is a daunting challenge this is the challenge we face previous generations made extraordinary sacrifice we must prevent it from dying from within 2 They make recommendations for the Republicans who must build a more diverse electoral constituency and they must find ways to win elections without appealing to white nationalism the sugar high of populism nativism and demagoguery 3 and who has to realize that the president could inflict real damage on our institutions in the long term 4 About Democrats they write Although the Democratic party has not been the principal driver of America deepening polarization it could play a role in reducing it 5 They say that Democrats could consider more comprehensive labor market policies it is imperative that Democrats address the issue of inequality 6 In an interview Levitsky identifies two objectives of the book one is defeating Trump and the other is shoring up our democracy 7 Finally they suggest that the effect of the Trump presidency could be a mild form of competitive authoritarianism 8 Reception editIn 2021 The Economist described it as arguably the most important book of the Trump era 9 The New York Times called it an essential guide to what can happen in the United States 10 The Washington Post said the book offers a sober look at the current state of affairs 11 Jason Willick in The Wall Street Journal called it an unintentional clarifying lesson 12 David Runciman in The Guardian called it provocative but puts too much emphasis on lessons from history instead of forces like social media and inequality 13 John Ikenberry in Foreign Affairs called it a powerful wake up call 14 Fair Observer better source needed called it an original contribution valuable to researchers policy makers and citizens 15 Columbia University historian Adam Tooze described the book as the most thought provoking book comparing democratic crises in different nations 16 Barack Obama listed the book on his Favorite Books of 2018 list 17 In a scholarly review political theorist Rosolino A Candela praised the work and concluded that academics will find much to learn unpack and develop 18 The book was on The New York Times Bestseller list 19 The book was awarded with the German NDR Kultur Sachbuchpreis 2018 20 Joe Biden read the book in 2018 sometimes carrying it with him that year to share passages 21 22 See also editDemocratic backsliding in the United States Portals nbsp Politics nbsp United States nbsp BooksReferences edit Levitsky amp Ziblatt 2018 p 10 Levitsky amp Ziblatt 2018 p 231 Levitsky amp Ziblatt 2018 p 223 Levitsky amp Ziblatt 2018 p 189 Levitsky amp Ziblatt 2018 p 226 Levitsky amp Ziblatt 2018 p 229 Chotiner Isaac 2018 The State of American Democracy After a year of Trump how worried should we be Slate Levitsky Steven Way Lucan A April 2002 Elections Without Democracy The Rise of Competitive Authoritarianism PDF Journal of Democracy 13 2 April Retrieved 3 October 2023 via Harvard University The terrible scenes on Capitol Hill illustrate how Donald Trump has changed his party The Economist 9 January 2021 ISSN 0013 0613 Retrieved 11 January 2021 Kristof Nicholas 10 January 2018 Trump s Threat to Democracy The New York Times Archived from the original on 10 January 2018 Retrieved 29 April 2018 Caryl Christian 11 January 2018 Can American democracy withstand its latest assault The Washington Post Willick Jason 24 January 2018 Review Polarized Societies and How Democracies Die Wall Street Journal Runciman David 24 January 2018 How Democracies Die review Trump and the shredding of norms The Guardian Retrieved 29 April 2018 Ikenberry 2018 Kolasa Matthew 15 August 2018 How Democracies Die Around the World Fair Observer Retrieved 16 August 2018 Tooze Adam 6 June 2019 Democracy and Its Discontents New York Review of Books ISSN 0028 7504 Retrieved 19 April 2020 Alfaro Mariana Obama says these were his 29 favorite books of 2018 Business Insider Retrieved 11 January 2021 Candela Rosolino A 2018 Book review How Democracies Die The Independent Review 23 2 Retrieved 27 August 2019 Combined Print amp E Book Nonfiction Books Best Sellers February 25 2018 The New York Times The New York Times 25 February 2018 Retrieved 29 April 2018 Levitsky und Ziblatt erhalten Sachbuchpreis 2018 NDR de in German 12 November 2018 Retrieved 11 November 2020 Weightlifting Gatorade birthday calls Inside Biden s day Washington Post ISSN 0190 8286 Retrieved 25 May 2021 Osnos Evan Can Biden s Center Hold The New Yorker Retrieved 25 May 2021 Bibliography editBerman S 2018 A Discussion of Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt s How Democracies Die Perspectives on Politics 16 4 1092 1094 doi 10 1017 S1537592718002852 Bunce V 2018 A Discussion of Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt s How Democracies Die Perspectives on Politics 16 4 1103 1104 doi 10 1017 S1537592718002839 Connolly W 2018 A Discussion of Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt s How Democracies Die Perspectives on Politics 16 4 1095 1096 doi 10 1017 S1537592718002888 Cramer K 2018 A Discussion of Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt s How Democracies Die Perspectives on Politics 16 4 1097 1098 doi 10 1017 S1537592718002876 Ikenberry G John 2018 How Democracies Die Foreign Affairs No March April Levitsky Steven Ziblatt Daniel 2018 How Democracies Die New York Crown ISBN 978 1524762933 Parker C 2018 A Discussion of Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt s How Democracies Die Perspectives on Politics 16 4 1099 1100 doi 10 1017 S153759271800289X Perez Linan A 2018 A Discussion of Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt s How Democracies Die Perspectives on Politics 16 4 1101 1102 doi 10 1017 S1537592718003043External links editHow Democracies Die Authors Say Trump Is A Symptom Of Deeper Problems NPR 22 January 2018 Penguin Publisher Website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title How Democracies Die amp oldid 1205564012, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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