## How Democracies Die: An Examination of Democratic Erosion ### Introduction: The Silent Demise of Democracies When we think of the end of democracy, we often envision dramatic scenes of military coups, revolutions, or conquests. However, the reality is far more subtle and insidious. In our book, "How Democracies Die," we explore how democracies are increasingly threatened not by external forces, but by elected leaders who gradually subvert the democratic process to consolidate their power. As political scientists who have spent years studying the failures of democracy in various parts of the world, we never thought we would be asking whether our own democracy is in danger. Yet, here we are, grappling with the very real possibility that the democratic system in the United States is under threat. Our research has taken us through Europe's dark 1930s, Latin America's repressive 1970s, and into the present day, where new forms of authoritarianism are emerging globally. ### The Erosion of Democratic Norms Democracies may die at the hands not of generals but of elected leaders—presidents or prime ministers who subvert the very process that brought them to power. Some of these leaders dismantle democracy quickly, as Hitler did in the wake of the 1933 Reichstag fire in Germany. More often, though, democracies erode slowly, in barely visible steps. Two basic norms have preserved America’s checks and balances in ways we have come to take for granted: mutual toleration and forbearance. Mutual toleration is the understanding that competing parties accept one another as legitimate rivals. Forbearance is the idea that politicians should exercise restraint in deploying their institutional prerogatives. These norms form what we call the “guardrails of democracy.” However, these guardrails are now broken. The evaporation of these norms is a key cause of democratic decline. When politicians no longer see their opponents as legitimate rivals but as enemies, the foundation of democracy begins to crumble. This is precisely what has happened in the United States, particularly with the rise of polarized politics. ### The Role of Polarization and Partisan Warfare In the early 1990s, Newt Gingrich and his allies were at the forefront of a seismic shift in American politics. Gingrich distributed memos to Republican candidates instructing them to use negative words to describe Democrats, such as "pathetic," "sick," "bizarre," "betray," "antiflag," and "antifamily." This marked the beginning of a new wave of polarization rooted in growing public discontent, particularly among the Republican base. Gingrich didn’t create this polarization, but he was one of the first Republicans to exploit the shift in popular sentiment. His leadership helped establish “politics as warfare” as the GOP’s dominant strategy. This approach has continued to escalate, contributing significantly to the erosion of mutual toleration and forbearance. ### Strategies of Authoritarian Leaders Authoritarian leaders typically use three main strategies to undermine democracy. First, they turn neutral agencies into partisan weapons. This can be seen in the way some leaders pack and "weaponize" the courts and other neutral agencies to serve their interests. Second, they sideline their opponents, often through legal or extralegal means. Third, they change laws to expand their own power. For example, consider the case of Alberto Fujimori in Peru. Fujimori, who became president in 1990, initially enjoyed broad support but soon began to dismantle democratic institutions. He used a constitutional crisis as a pretext to dissolve Congress and the judiciary, establishing a new constitution that greatly expanded his powers. This is a classic example of how authoritarian leaders exploit crises to consolidate their power. ### The Trump Presidency: A Case Study Our book situates the Trump presidency within a broader comparative and historical context. We argue that Trump’s rise and actions are part of a larger global trend of democratic backsliding. Trump rejects basic democratic norms and attacks the institutional checks and balances designed to prevent him from abusing his power. Like many authoritarian leaders, Trump uses economic crises, natural disasters, and security threats to justify antidemocratic measures. He has also been instrumental in eroding the norms of mutual toleration and forbearance. The tragic paradox of the electoral route to authoritarianism is that democracy’s assassins use the very institutions of democracy—gradually, subtly, and even legally—to kill it. ### The Assault on Democratic Institutions One of the great ironies of how democracies die is that the very defense of democracy is often used as a pretext for its subversion. Elected leaders may use crises to justify measures that undermine democratic institutions. This includes buying off the media and the private sector, or bullying them into silence. The independent judiciary and a free press are fundamental to democratic health. However, these institutions are under assault. The politicization of the judiciary, the obstruction of justice, and the demonization of the media are all tactics used by would-be autocrats to dismantle democracy. ### Conclusion: Saving American Democracy The question of whether our democracy is in danger is no longer hypothetical. We have been warning about the dangers of democratic backsliding for years, and now we see these dangers manifesting in the United States. To save American democracy, we must restore the norms of mutual toleration and forbearance. This requires a commitment from both parties to respect the legitimacy of their opponents and to exercise restraint in using their institutional powers. We urge Democrats to take the high ground and strive to restore these norms. This is not a partisan issue but a matter of democratic survival. By understanding how democracies die and by learning from history, we can arm ourselves with the knowledge needed to protect our democracy. In the end, it is up to citizens to recognize the threats to democracy and to act. Democracies may die slowly and quietly, but they can also be saved through the vigilant and active participation of their citizens. The future of American democracy depends on our ability to recognize the dangers and to take collective action to safeguard our democratic institutions.

Here are the key insights from the book "How Democracies Die" by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt: ## Democracies Die Internally - Modern democracies are more likely to be undermined by elected leaders from within the system rather than by external forces or violent coups[1][3][4]. ## Erosion of Democratic Norms - The erosion of democracy often occurs through the breakdown of two critical norms: mutual toleration (accepting opponents as legitimate rivals) and forbearance (exercising restraint in using institutional powers)[1][3][4]. ## Role of Polarization - Polarization, particularly in the U.S., has been exacerbated by political strategies such as those employed by Newt Gingrich, which have contributed to the erosion of mutual toleration and forbearance[1][3]. ## Strategies of Authoritarian Leaders - Authoritarian leaders use strategies like turning neutral agencies into partisan tools, sidelining opponents, and changing laws to expand their power. Examples include Alberto Fujimori in Peru and other global cases[1][3][4]. ## The Trump Presidency as a Case Study - The Trump presidency is analyzed within a broader context of global democratic backsliding, highlighting how Trump's actions and rhetoric have eroded democratic norms and institutional checks and balances[1][3][4]. ## Assault on Democratic Institutions - Democratic institutions such as the independent judiciary and free press are under attack. Politicization of the judiciary, obstruction of justice, and demonization of the media are common tactics used by would-be autocrats[1][3][4]. ## Gradual and Legal Erosion - The erosion of democracy often occurs gradually and through legally sanctioned means, making it difficult for citizens to recognize and react to the threats[1][3][4]. ## Importance of Institutional Forebearance - The proper functioning of democratic systems relies on public officials using their institutional prerogatives responsibly and with restraint[1][3]. ## Citizen Vigilance and Action - The survival of democracy depends on the vigilant and active participation of citizens in recognizing and countering threats to democratic institutions[1][3][4]. ## Historical and Comparative Context - The book draws on historical and comparative analysis from Europe, Latin America, and other regions to illustrate the patterns and mechanisms of democratic decline[1][3][4]. ## Restoring Democratic Norms - To save American democracy, there is a need to restore the norms of mutual toleration and forbearance, requiring a commitment from both political parties to respect the legitimacy of their opponents and exercise restraint in using their powers[1][3][4].