Tyranny of the Minority, Levitsky and Ziblatt

 

Tyranny of the Minority by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt.  I read How Democracies Die and I thought there was room for so much more, hopefully this book provides it.

Started: 12/20/2023
Completed: 12/22/2023

Recommendation: Recommended

Recommended By: Nobody

Review:

This book starts to address how to save democracy in the United States.  The steps laid out are those laid out by almost anyone who thinks about it.  The process of correction, however, is interesting.  The authors argue for voter registration drives and grassroots organizing at the state level.  While they recognize that this is where Democrats are weakest, it is probably for that reason that they point it out.  They are also quick to point out that this is not a one term or even one decade effort.  The current Republican ethos is draining and wearing away at Democrats who mostly seem to want government to help those in need rather than becoming engaged in rule games.  Republicans, however, seem to revel in the games and thrill at the "winning."  I don't know how this is going to go.  The lack of Republican approach to reality means that they claim to win while they are losing.  Indeed, a single short-term victory seems to fill their sails for numerous more journeys into uncharted waters where it feels Democrats are truly spending their time dealing with a constant barrage of nonsense.

How Democracies Die, Levitsky and Ziblatt

 

How Democracies Die:  What history reveals about our future by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt.  What happens with a couple of Harvard professors start thinking about the political future?

Started: 1/8/2022
Completed: 1/14/2022
Recommendation: Mild Recommendation
Recommended By: Nobody

Review:

This is an interesting book talking about some of the criteria that can be used to identify a democracy at risk.  The fact that Trump pushed all the buttons while the book was being written and the advice was that the Republican party should reform itself and the Democratic party should provide space for that is remarkably difficult to follow.  The Republican party has been the primary abusers of democracy and started the abuses (by the authors' own analysis).  The thought that the Democratic party should just move to the side and hope that the Republican party decides to reform is hard to fathom.  As long as the Republican party is getting what they want with the current process, they will continue to work the way that they are.  I recommend this book for the analysis, but not the conclusions.