Tyranny of the Minority: How to Reverse an Authoritarian Turn, and Forge a Democracy for All

by Steven Levitsky

Genres: Politics, History, Nonfiction

384 pages, Paperback

Published October 3, 2024

About the author

Steven Levitsky is an American political scientist and Professor of Government at Harvard University. A comparative political scientist, his research interests focus on Latin America and include political parties and party systems, authoritarianism and democratization, and weak and informal institutions.

Reviews

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐

This book brought home how democracy can never be taken for granted but needs to be constantly renewed and defended.

Written between the first and second Trump regimes, it's not about the man as much as it's about the system that allows him to exist.

It's about the institutions and techniques that allow minorities to impose their will on the majority: voter suppression; gerrymandering; court - stacking and a host of others. I was also amazed to learn how far back organized efforts at undermining democracy go ( even the leaders, in many countries, who first proposed democratic government didn't entirely trust it).

Like the authors previous book, How Democracies Die, it's rich in detail and example (well footnoted) and is written in a clear and compelling style.

While there's plenty that's discouraging there's also examples of how things have been changed for the better, despite apparently insurmountable odds: women's suffrage; the abolition of slavery; the civil rights movement.

I thought it did an excellent job providing background to the present political situation in the United States. -30-

[L.Lenzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is extraordinary to read this deep analysis of American democracy, especially now after the reelection of Donald Trump!

The book starts by setting the standards for one democratic society and explains with examples why exactly this frame is needed. The examples of Asian, South American and European democracies were extra interesting for me.

It continues with relevant facts around the problems and evolution of the multiracial democracy in the USA. My personal opinion is that the equivalent of the fight for multiracial democracy in the USA, for Europe is going to be the inclusion of the newly (or already not so new) settled immigrants across the continent in the political system. It's either multiracial democracy or no democracy at all.

Yet the book finishes with reasoned criticism towards the Electoral college and the still functioning Senate.

If you are interested in the development of the American political system or in the development of Democracy in general (as the oldest one) I do recommend going through it!

[Sahra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found it a very interesting eye-opening book on American politics and how messed up and flawed it actually is (*pretends to be shocked*).
It was incredibly insightful nonetheless.

[Sarah Izydorczyk · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book provides a well structured insight into the American political system. It provides an answer on how to save democracy.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genuinely liked this one even better than their first book “How Democracies Die”, and I already loved that one