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A review by idlepassage
How Democracies Die: What History Reveals About Our Future by Daniel Ziblatt, Steven Levitsky
2.5
Eh. For one thing I was hoping this book would detail the fall of other democracies a bit more, rather than sort of generalizing the series of events from its example countries. Very goofy choice to mention so many Latin American countries without referencing the US' coordinated efforts to destabilize the region. But ok. Was also hoping this book would also be less of a rant about trump.
Expectations aside, I appreciate the book's use of statistics and historical analyses, but found some of the conclusions it drew a little weird. For instance the argument that the electoral college is a necessary form of political gatekeeping, despite the fact that it led to a figure with authoritarian tendencies becoming elected? Nor much reference to the electoral college's relation to slavery? And while there was quite a bit of talk about America's changing demographics and a bigger shift away from christianity, I thought the book could stand to talk more about citizens united, the effect of campaign finance and super pacs (weirdly the author took the stance that small individual donations are somehow bad??), and the limits of a 2 party system. But rather, the book's central argument is that democracy's erosion comes down to the erasure of norms and decorum in our political parties? Idk bro, seems like a stretch
Expectations aside, I appreciate the book's use of statistics and historical analyses, but found some of the conclusions it drew a little weird. For instance the argument that the electoral college is a necessary form of political gatekeeping, despite the fact that it led to a figure with authoritarian tendencies becoming elected? Nor much reference to the electoral college's relation to slavery? And while there was quite a bit of talk about America's changing demographics and a bigger shift away from christianity, I thought the book could stand to talk more about citizens united, the effect of campaign finance and super pacs (weirdly the author took the stance that small individual donations are somehow bad??), and the limits of a 2 party system. But rather, the book's central argument is that democracy's erosion comes down to the erasure of norms and decorum in our political parties? Idk bro, seems like a stretch