Dear Great Book Guru,  I attended a lecture last week at the Brooklyn Historical Society on how democracies die.  It was both fascinating and horrifying.   Have you heard about the book that was at the center of this discussion? 

A Champion of Democracy

Dear Champion,  HOW DEMOCRACIES DIE by Steven Levitsky and David Ziblatt is perhaps the most thought provoking book I have read in the last few months.  While we usually picture democracies collapsing in violent chaos with tanks and militia in the streets, the authors show us that more frequently the very components of democracy–its constitution, courts, media, and elections- are used to destroy it.  They list four signs of its slow death: 1. denying the legitimacy of opponents 2.  condoning or tolerating violence 3.  showing  a willingness to curb civil liberties and/or the media 4. having only a weak commitment to democratic rules.  If one or more of these is present there is a strong possibility that democracy is in grave danger.  The authors also suggest that it is political parties that keep despots from coming to power and the post 1960’s primary system of nominating candidates has undermined the parties’ power.  The last and most devastating insight they offer is that at no time  in history has a democracy existed where all citizens- regardless of race or ethnicity- are equally empowered politically, socially,  and economically. Does democracy need inequality to exist? A disturbing question indeed!  Highly recommended…