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brianlokker's review against another edition
5.0
This is a timely and important book that is well worth reading for anyone who cares about preserving liberal democracy as the best form of government yet devised. I can't begin to do justice to Mounk's analysis and arguments here, so I'm offering just a few snippets.
Mounk suggests that the conditions that fostered liberal democracy, including steady improvements in the standard of living, relatively homogeneous populations, and control of mass communications by the establishment, have all eroded. Populist movements promise simple answers to some of the issues presented by this new social and economic order. But ultimately, they are often dangerous to liberal democracy, as they are prone to devolve into "democracy without rights," autocracy, or even dictatorship. Even the United States has shown itself susceptible to the lure of this dangerous populism with the election of Donald Trump as President.
Mounk proposes various remedies to preserve liberal democracy. For one thing, he argues that it's critical to restore the primacy of civic education. He quotes James Madison's advice that democratic self-rule requires knowledgeable citizens. "His fears about what would happen to America if it neglected this crucial task sound oddly apposite today: 'a popular government, without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy; or, perhaps both.'" Apposite indeed.
Mounk suggests that the conditions that fostered liberal democracy, including steady improvements in the standard of living, relatively homogeneous populations, and control of mass communications by the establishment, have all eroded. Populist movements promise simple answers to some of the issues presented by this new social and economic order. But ultimately, they are often dangerous to liberal democracy, as they are prone to devolve into "democracy without rights," autocracy, or even dictatorship. Even the United States has shown itself susceptible to the lure of this dangerous populism with the election of Donald Trump as President.
Mounk proposes various remedies to preserve liberal democracy. For one thing, he argues that it's critical to restore the primacy of civic education. He quotes James Madison's advice that democratic self-rule requires knowledgeable citizens. "His fears about what would happen to America if it neglected this crucial task sound oddly apposite today: 'a popular government, without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy; or, perhaps both.'" Apposite indeed.
thehoodie's review against another edition
2.0
Imagine being in 2018 and thinking that the world is going to shit because people are mad at the "democracy" part of "liberal democracy"
chelsangeles's review against another edition
4.0
As I was reading, I kept thinking: "Huh. Never thought about it this way." and "Why didn't I think about it this way?"
This kind of reminds me of Harari's "21 Lessons for the 21st Century" (just kinda) but it's a little more focused on the political aspect of it. Interesting perspectives on the current political climate with
good historical context. Very timely. Will read this again in 10 years for fun if the world hasn't ended by then.
This kind of reminds me of Harari's "21 Lessons for the 21st Century" (just kinda) but it's a little more focused on the political aspect of it. Interesting perspectives on the current political climate with
good historical context. Very timely. Will read this again in 10 years for fun if the world hasn't ended by then.
shadowdancer's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
3.5
An interesting book to read, especially the first half where the author tries to explain why the liberal democracy is in danger. However, it fails to consider one the most important factors that has helped sustain the global north success: it's exploitation of developing and underdeveloped countries. Overall, a good introduction to the subject.
shahar's review against another edition
5.0
Very well written, intrudced me to some interesting ideas.
lynnoleum's review
fast-paced
3.0
Easy read, maybe a little too easy ? It gives an overview of the decline of liberal democracy with easy to understand diagrams of the models of nation states/supranational states. There's the concept of illiberal democracies (eg poland) and undemocratic liberalism (eg EU). he credits the changes to three conditions which have been underpinning the durability of liberal democracy as the reasons for the decline of liberalism and democracy - the erosion of mass media as gatekeepers of shared values by fragmented social media echo chambers, the economic stagnation and the disruption of monoethnic nations by migration. However I'm not sure that the quality of the data used to back up those claims are robust. They seem more anecdotal and scholarship is generalised in this book, probably to reach a mass market of American readers. Fell short imho.
lucaconti's review
5.0
Un libro necessario per analizzare perché il populismo è forte e come lo si può contrastare per promuovere una democrazia liberale
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