Steve Levitsky on "Tyranny of the Minority: Why American Democracy Reached the Breaking Point"

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? In this talk, based on his new best-selling book with Daniel Ziblatt, Steven Levitsky will offer a framework for understanding these volatile times, and an urgent call to reform our politics in ways that protect and nourish our democracy.

[@Monkismo]

What's depressing is that the right is already using the same phrase to describe any success that an actual minority group has in achieving gains.

[@louiselincoln6557]

Very difficult to understand. (Maybe a different mic would have been better?)

[@G11713]

13:45 Here he asserts that "small democrat" politicians reluctance to denounce anti-democratic forces when it springs up encourages the media and donors to support those anti-democratic forces. However, I think he got that backwards. Nasient anti-democratic forces originate amongst wealthy donors who typically own or are major investors in the media and other important private institutions and who occasionally find a skilled embodiment of their vision in a charismatic politician... perhaps I am mistaken.