How Democracies Die

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12.99

‘The most important book of the Trump era’ The Economist

How does a democracy die?
What can we do to save our own?
What lessons does history teach us?

In the 21st century democracy is threatened like never before.

Drawing insightful lessons from across history – from Pinochet’s murderous Chilean regime to Erdogan’s quiet dismantling in Turkey – Levitsky and Ziblatt explain why democracies fail, how leaders like Trump subvert them today and what each of us can do to protect our democratic rights.

‘This book looks to history to provide a guide for defending democratic norms when they are under threat, and finds that it is possible to fight back.’ David Runciman

‘A useful primer on the importance of norms, institutional restraints and civic participation in maintaining a democracy – and how quickly those things can erode when we’re not paying attention’ President Barack Obama

‘A must-read’
Andrew Marr, Sunday Times

‘The greatest of the many merits of Levitsky and Ziblatt’s How Democracies Die is their rejection of western exceptionalism. They tell inspiring stories I had not heard before’ Nick Cohen, Observer

‘Provocative, timely. One of my favourite reads this year’ Elif Shafak

‘Anyone who is concerned about the future of democracy should read this brisk, accessible book. Anyone who is not concerned should definitely read it’ Daron Acemoglu, co-author of Why Nations Fail

ISBN: 9780241381359

Out of stock

Democracies die in three stages: the election of an authoritarian leader, the concentration and abuse of governmental power and finally, the complete repression of opposition and citizens. The first step was taken by the US with the election of Donald Trump; we must all learn how we can prevent all three. From how General Augusto Pinochet dramatically seized power in Chile in 1973 to the quiet undermining of Turkey’s constitutional system by President Recip Erdogan, Harvard professors Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt draw insightful lessons from democracies in crisis across history to shine a light on governmental breakdown across the 20th and 21st centuries. Based on years of research, this book is both an alarming exploration of the unthinkable – how democracy is subverted or destroyed – and a guide for the roads ahead, for governments and individuals.

Additional information

Weight0.225 kg
Dimensions19.8 × 12.9 × 1.9 cm
Author

Publisher

Imprint

Cover

Paperback

Pages

312

Language

English

Edition
Dewey

321.8 (edition:23)

Readership

General – Trade / Code: K

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