New Books in Critical Theory

Steven Levitsky, "Tyranny of the Minority: How to Reverse an Authoritarian Turn, and Forge a Democracy for All" (Crown, 2024)

Oct 22, 2024

Dr. Steven Levitsky, a Harvard professor specializing in democratization, discusses the precarious state of American democracy in light of rising authoritarianism. He explores how minority rule undermines democratic principles and emphasizes the need for reform. With lessons drawn from history, he highlights the necessity of civic engagement and calls for active participation to combat disinformation and voter suppression. Levitsky stresses that embracing America's multiracial identity is essential for the future of democracy.

44:41

Episode guests

Steven Levitsky

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Quick takeaways

The podcast discusses the dual challenge of voter suppression and gerrymandering undermining electoral processes, which threaten American democracy's foundational principles.

It emphasizes the critical role of elites in shaping public discourse, as their alignment with misinformation complicates the public's understanding of democratic values.

Deep dives

The State of American Democracy

The podcast highlights the challenges facing American democracy, notably the abandonment of democratic principles by one of the major political parties. This shift poses a significant threat to the electoral process, complicating the balance of power within the government and undermining democratic institutions. With issues like voter suppression, gerrymandering, and the manipulation of the Electoral College, the threat to democracy has become increasingly apparent. The discussion emphasizes the need for broad coalitions to actively defend and restore democratic norms in the face of rising authoritarianism.

Intro

2min

Guardians of Democracy

8min

Progress and Peril in Democracy

7min

Misinformation and Democratic Challenges

20min

Crossroads of Democracy: The Shift Towards Multiracial Identity

2min

Engaging in Civic Activism to Strengthen Democracy

3min

America is undergoing a massive experiment: It is moving, in fits and starts, toward a multiracial democracy, something few societies have ever done. But the prospect of change has sparked an authoritarian backlash that threatens the very foundations of our political system. Why is democracy under assault here, and not in other wealthy, diversifying nations? And what can we do to save it?

With the clarity and brilliance that made their first book, How Democracies Die, a global bestseller, Harvard professors Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt offer a coherent framework for understanding these volatile times. They draw on a wealth of examples—from 1930s France to present-day Thailand—to explain why and how political parties turn against democracy. They then show how our Constitution makes us uniquely vulnerable to attacks from within: It is a pernicious enabler of minority rule, allowing partisan minorities to consistently thwart and even rule over popular majorities. Most modern democracies—from Germany and Sweden to Argentina and New Zealand—have eliminated outdated institutions like elite upper chambers, indirect elections, and lifetime tenure for judges. The United States lags dangerously behind.

In Tyranny of the Minority: How to Reverse an Authoritarian Turn, and Forge a Democracy for All (Crown, 2024), Levitsky and Ziblatt issue an urgent call to reform our politics. It’s a daunting task, but we have remade our country before—most notably, after the Civil War and during the Progressive Era. And now we are at a crossroads: America will either become a multiracial democracy or cease to be a democracy at all.

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