Tyranny of the Minority

Why American Democracy Reached the Breaking Point

By: Steven Levitsky, Daniel Ziblatt

Narrated by: Fred Sanders

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A call to reform our antiquated political institutions before it’s too late—from the authors of How Democracies Die

“[Levitsky and Ziblatt] write with terrifying clarity about how the forces of the right have co-opted the enshrined rules to exert their tyranny.”—The Washington Post

ONE OF THE CALIFORNIA REVIEW OF BOOKS’ TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR • A NEWSWEEK BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

America is undergoing a massive experiment: It is moving, in fits and starts, toward a multiracial democracy, something few societies have ever done. But the prospect of change has sparked an authoritarian backlash that threatens the very foundations of our political system. Why is democracy under assault here, and not in other wealthy, diversifying nations? And what can we do to save it?

With the clarity and brilliance that made their first book, How Democracies Die, a global bestseller, Harvard professors Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt offer a coherent framework for understanding these volatile times. They draw on a wealth of examples—from 1930s France to present-day Thailand—to explain why and how political parties turn against democracy. They then show how our Constitution makes us uniquely vulnerable to attacks from within: It is a pernicious enabler of minority rule, allowing partisan minorities to consistently thwart and even rule over popular majorities. Most modern democracies—from Germany and Sweden to Argentina and New Zealand—have eliminated outdated institutions like elite upper chambers, indirect elections, and lifetime tenure for judges. The United States lags dangerously behind.

In this revelatory book, Levitsky and Ziblatt issue an urgent call to reform our politics. It’s a daunting task, but we have remade our country before—most notably, after the Civil War and during the Progressive Era. And now we are at a crossroads: America will either become a multiracial democracy or cease to be a democracy at all.

©2023 Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt (P)2023 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“A minority of voters can now inflict a legislative wallop of racism, sexism, nativism, homophobia, transphobia, and economic misery on the rest of us—and never have to pay for it at the polls. This is the ‘tyranny of the minority’ that Levitsky and Ziblatt rightly fear. No lawless strongman or populist autocracy, it’s a product of the very Constitution that we have been taught to admire.”—The New Yorker

“Why has American democracy come so close to a breaking point while other Western democracies appear more stable? In this sobering study, Levitsky and Ziblatt blame the United States’ eighteenth-century constitutional order for its modern democratic woes.”—Foreign Affairs

“[Daniel] Ziblatt and [Steven] Levitsky are two of America’s very best comparative political scientists, with expertise that makes them uniquely well-equipped for the subject they’re examining. . . . Tyranny of the Minority is one of the best guides out there to the crisis of American democracy.”—Vox

Excellent-clear, concise and well thought

This book is gave me a perspective on our democracy which I had never thought of or considered before. The authors suggested solutions that would improve our country. We need a consensus.

Enlighten my curiosity

I gained a lot of information that I could only speculate, but I more or less see it in everyday situations. The narrative was clear I understood it completely.

how little I understood about how government functions

ideas were presented clearly and explained well with both good intentions presented and possible consequences presented

Educational and enlightening

I wish this book was part of every American History course for high school students. Our democracy would be stronger and our electorate better informed.

Fascinating detSild of history!

Very enjoyable read...so many details bring it to lifrmmmIntely like If been there at the time!

Great historical account of democracy

I loved the analysis of how and why democracies fail. I also really appreciate the detailed descriptions of the anti-majoritarian components in the US Constitution. The book also ends with a glimmer of hope for American democracy. But seeing how it was written before Trump’s second term I question whether that glimmer of hope still exists.

Inspiration for Change

I think this should be required reading/listening for every voter or soon to be voter. I learned that we almost got rid of the electoral college a few decades ago, but the bill always go to the Senate to die. The Senate is a very counter-democratic body. Other democracies in the world have adapted, but ours has not. The Constitution is not a sacred document written by infallible people, it can & should be changed

The depth of research.

The books was terrific. While the topic raises many unsettling feelings, I enjoyed the book.

Excellent!

The authors used history & comparison with other democracies around the world to explain why our current political situation has been allowed to evolve. The deliberate manipulation of thought around our constitution being a “perfect” document left room for Trump to push us to the edge. We need to work with young people to fix our thinking & repair our democracy.

Excellent information. Excellent proposal

How is it possible? That being the largest democracy in the world, we are the only one that has this electoral college voting system. Incredible!!!!