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Fragile Democracy: The Struggle over Race and Voting Rights in North Carolina
America is at war with itself over the right to vote, or, more precisely, over the question of who gets to exercise that right and under what circumstances. Conservatives speak in ominous tones of voter fraud so widespread that it threatens public trust in elected government. Progressives counter that fraud is rare and that calls for reforms such as voter ID are part of a campaign to shrink the electorate and exclude some citizens from the political life of the nation.North Carolina is a battleground for this debate, and its history can help us understand why--a century and a half after ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment--we remain a nation divided over the right to vote. In Fragile Democracy, James L. Leloudis and Robert R. Korstad tell the story of race and voting rights, from the end of the Civil War until the present day. They show that battles over the franchise have played out through cycles of emancipatory politics and conservative retrenchment. When race has been used as an instrument of exclusion from political life, the result has been a society in which vast numbers of Americans are denied the elements of meaningful a good job, a good education, good health, and a good home. That history points to the need for a bold new vision of what democracy looks like.
- GenresHistoryRaceNonfiction
184 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 6, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 10, 2025
A solid academic text and filled with a lot of information that is helpful in understanding the modern politics of North Carolina. I was keenly aware of the information in the later chapters of the work, but I was unaware of presence and success of early progressivism in the state via the Fusion Party.
A couple notable questions and criticisms I have:
1) I wish there was information on the Western part of the state. The research focus is heavily on the Piedmont and Eastern portions of the state. I assume this is logistical because of the demographic makeup of those two regions compared to Appalachian portions of the state, but I think the overall exclusion undermines the research. I see this exclusion a weak point on multiple fronts. There is mention that Western voters after 1900 held “resentment towards the economic and political power of the Piedmont and eastern interests” (86). This sparked my curiosity of the potential of this era being a preview of the grievance politics that has encapsulated more conservative voters state-wide (and nation-wide). Further, voters in western NC are historically and modernly are working-class whites—the very voting block the authors target as a part of the interracial coalition to facilitate better democratic practice. I would argue that a true, modern version of the Fusion Movement would require a portion of these voters to be included in the coalition. Finally on this point, the lack of information on the Western portion of the state reinforces a myth of Appalachia as being only white. Although the region is predominantly white (with the acknowledgment that demographics are diversifying), the presence of black, Hispanic, and indigenous populations specifically is nonexistent in this work—undermining a whole picture view of the politics of race and democracy in the state.
2) There is minimal mention of the General Assembly’s reaction to the 2016 Gubernatorial election—ie there is no mention of how the Republican majorities in the legislature stripped many of powers of the governor with the election of Democrat Cooper. Nor is there any mention of McCrory refusing to concede the election, and as far as I am aware, still claims he lost to Cooper in 2016 because of voter fraud. I believe this information would have aided in further characterization of the attempts to subvert democratic practice in the state.
Absent my criticisms, I do think this book is informative. Knowledge of the 2020 and 2024 election cycles reinforce many of the patterns detailed in the work. Specifically, Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt’s How Democracies Die showcases North Carolina in the late 2010s as a model for how fragile democracy is, and the crisis that is now going on at the federal level. This work reinforces their research with increased historical context.
A couple notable questions and criticisms I have:
1) I wish there was information on the Western part of the state. The research focus is heavily on the Piedmont and Eastern portions of the state. I assume this is logistical because of the demographic makeup of those two regions compared to Appalachian portions of the state, but I think the overall exclusion undermines the research. I see this exclusion a weak point on multiple fronts. There is mention that Western voters after 1900 held “resentment towards the economic and political power of the Piedmont and eastern interests” (86). This sparked my curiosity of the potential of this era being a preview of the grievance politics that has encapsulated more conservative voters state-wide (and nation-wide). Further, voters in western NC are historically and modernly are working-class whites—the very voting block the authors target as a part of the interracial coalition to facilitate better democratic practice. I would argue that a true, modern version of the Fusion Movement would require a portion of these voters to be included in the coalition. Finally on this point, the lack of information on the Western portion of the state reinforces a myth of Appalachia as being only white. Although the region is predominantly white (with the acknowledgment that demographics are diversifying), the presence of black, Hispanic, and indigenous populations specifically is nonexistent in this work—undermining a whole picture view of the politics of race and democracy in the state.
2) There is minimal mention of the General Assembly’s reaction to the 2016 Gubernatorial election—ie there is no mention of how the Republican majorities in the legislature stripped many of powers of the governor with the election of Democrat Cooper. Nor is there any mention of McCrory refusing to concede the election, and as far as I am aware, still claims he lost to Cooper in 2016 because of voter fraud. I believe this information would have aided in further characterization of the attempts to subvert democratic practice in the state.
Absent my criticisms, I do think this book is informative. Knowledge of the 2020 and 2024 election cycles reinforce many of the patterns detailed in the work. Specifically, Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt’s How Democracies Die showcases North Carolina in the late 2010s as a model for how fragile democracy is, and the crisis that is now going on at the federal level. This work reinforces their research with increased historical context.
February 5, 2021
Reading this book helped me connect the dots around why North Carolina has pursued so many policies detrimental to its citizens, and some policies that have confused and affected me personally. The answer: since the collapse of the confederacy, the white, wealthy, conservative ruling class has done everything they can to hoard power and wealth, including disenfranchising black voters in any way they can. This book is an amazing outline of the history of racism in the political system in NC, and how history doesn't exactly repeat itself, but "it does rhyme."
November 2, 2020
It was hard to read when I started a few weeks ago given the current events BUT now that I’m it, it’s amazing. I recommend this even if you don’t live in NC. It’s a great read that highlights how white supremacy/racism and wealth have been literally the foundation of US politics and voting. In short, everything we are seeing in NC and the country this 2020 election is not new.
June 23, 2021
Since the end of the civil war, North Carolina has a rich history of voter suppression. Back then it was to maintain white political power. Now, it's to maintain GOP power. Aside from violence, poll taxes, & literacy tests, the means to hold on to power are a loud echo from its past. The authors did an excellent job telling a long story in such a concise way.
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January 31, 2022History of the continual civil rights fight in North Carolina to the present day/
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April 21, 2022many things I did not know!
December 26, 2023
An outstanding book on the long history in the state of the struggle for the right to vote. Anyone who wants to go beyond the surface of American politics would benefit from this book.
January 1, 2025
Me reading this after taking Dr. Leloudis’ class back in college: Oh man if I had read this I definitely would have made better than an A- on the final.
July 22, 2025
This book strengthened my knowledge about politics in my birth state of NC. A very informative addition to my library as I contemplate moving back to NC.
June 28, 2025
An expansive and detailed history of voting rights in North Carolina, starting from the Civil War up to the 2020 election. I really enjoyed this read because, alongside the long-time effort to disenfranchise voters in North Carolina, the book also exemplifies how one's access to the ballot box affects other rights and access to other resources. Additionally, this book contextualizes federal actions regarding voting rights to the state level rather than the typical national perspective of voting rights. This book provides great insight and detail into North Carolina's actions and responses to those federal actions.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews