How Democracies Die by Steven Levitsky & Daniel Ziblatt
2018 312 pgs (231 reading)

First, a fair warning, if someone is a die-hard Republican and/or Trump lover, they should not read this book.  Their blood will boil, head spin around, and quite possibly implode.

Good news for me, I’m Independent, so I didn’t dance as I devoured its contents or get upset at what was said.  As a person that has written history and is an ardent student of it, I enjoyed the lessons.

Both authors are experts/teachers of the subject of democracies from around the world and what has caused them to fall.  One is a specialist in Europe and the other in South America.  Using lessons of infamous authoritarian governments like Chile’s Pinochet and Venezuela’s, Chávez.  Also, Hitler’s rise to power in 1930’s to current situations like Putin’s Russia and Ukraine.   They compare our current administration’s actions in the last year, plus what was said before the elections, to what happened in other nations and consummate the path our nation is currently heading.

They explain how our nation has been working politically since the forming of our constitution to where it is today.  Also, why we also never had a political picture like we do now and what prevented it.  Finally, we how could possibly heal the current political situation and become the democratic giant that other nations follow.

I know that was vague, however, I don’t want to give up to much in the book.  I really enjoyed it.  I started and finished it in about a day and I’m a very slow reader.

Although like any book that deals with the world of politics, your view will determine your take on the book.

Enjoy your reading!

Lopaka