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review
JenniferEgnor
How Democracies Die | Steven Levitsky, Daniel Ziblatt
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Pickpick

This book feels like old news now, but still so important to read. The authors lay out the warnings of a democracy in crisis, and all the moves to power that authoritarians make: Trump met (and continues to meet) each one of them. They discuss how these events unfolded in other countries, America‘s political history, and why democracy is so fragile. Voting and institutions alone will not save us. Highly recommend.
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JenniferEgnor Podcast episode where the authors speak with The Newyorker after the 2024 Election: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-political-scene-the-new-yorker/id26821... 7d
JenniferEgnor Shown: part of a chat with one of my closest friends on Election Night. I was having a watch party with friends and my husband; she‘d been working the polls all day. We were broken. 7d
12 likes3 comments
blurb
Julz422
Surviving Autocracy | Masha Gessen
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Unfortunately, have to pick this one back up again 😭

1 like1 stack add
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Amiable
How Democracy Ends | David Runciman
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I am gutted.

JenReadsAlot Same. 3w
CoverToCoverGirl Canadian here. When I heard the news this morning it felt like I was having an out of body experience and waking up in a parallel universe. Buyer‘s remorse will soon set in. A lot of us are worried about our next election up here too. It‘s disheartening that so many chose to not cast their votes for whatever reason. Inaction can lead to unintended consequences. 3w
RosePressedPages This is really eye opening to how this election played out 3w
See All 18 Comments
Amiable @CoverToCoverGirl You guys can‘t go backwards, too —Canada is our emotional safe space! We need you to stay sane. 3w
Prairiegirl_reading You know I thought I was doing the math wrong or misremembering the numbers from 2020. 15 million people were moved to stay home. That is truly despicable. It doesn‘t make sense. 3w
Prairiegirl_reading @CoverToCoverGirl yep, I‘m Canadian too and can definitely relate to everything you said. 3w
CoverToCoverGirl @Prairiegirl_reading it is a very worrisome time. The pendulum is definitely going the wrong way. I‘m sixty and this is the first time I‘ve ever had a concern about Canadian politics and where it could take us. Ugly rhetoric and vitriolic speech seems to be the new horrible norm ‘round the world and unfortunately it has started to reach and influence some of our fellow Canadians. 3w
CoverToCoverGirl @Amiable thank you for your kind words but I really fear our Canadian bubble is in jeopardy. Truly worried about our next election. We are really in danger of getting someone who aligns with your president elect, he‘s just less in your face about things. More a wolf in sheep‘s clothing. 3w
dabbe Similar to the Bernie supporters who sat out in 2016. We did it to ourselves. And “gutted” sums it up perfectly. 3w
marleed As I begin my search to make sense of last night‘s results what you present gives me back a glimmer of hope. There is work to do. MAGA did not shrink but maybe, just maybe, it did not grow. 3w
TheBookHippie Gutted as well. The protest vote and non voting was huge here. Huge. 3w
Bookwormjillk I will never understand not voting. 3w
Anna40 What?! Non voting out of protest?! I stayed away from news yesterday … 3w
MittenGirlPeach Absolutely the same. Trying to stay positive but clear-eyed and mostly succeeding. 3w
staci.reads 🤬 3w
AmyG I am amazed at the non-voting….but yet not. People are so incredibly ignorant and uninformed. The world has changed, how to we change with it? 3w
BarbaraBB I am amazed at the non voters but also at all of those who voted against democracy and decency 💔 3w
DogMomIrene 15 million is a sobering number. I was a 2016 Bernie supporter, but I still voted. John Oliver had a sincere plea to the protest voters last Sunday. Wish it had made more of a difference because my gut says the US will be changed for several generations with policies Trump will enact. 3w
71 likes18 comments
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danx
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A well written and insightful look at the strongman ‘leaders‘ throughout the world and modern history and the commonalities, themes and environments which allow them power. Not a huge amount of hope was given when reading it at our current point in history, but I think important nonetheless at least in understanding our situations.

lynneamch Some hope from Heather Cox Richardson in her reminder that democracy has been saved in past US history and right now " women have all the power." 3w
3 likes1 stack add1 comment
review
Lcsmcat
How Democracies Die | Steven Levitsky, Daniel Ziblatt
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Pickpick

I‘d like a follow-up, but this is a book everyone (and I mean EVERYONE) should read. It always felt wrong to me, no matter how much Trumpism scares me, to “other” all Republicans. I try to be a “when they go low, we go high” Democrat. But guys, we‘re so close to losing our democracy. Please be kind this election season, trust your election workers, and vote. And try to build bridges, not tear them down. We‘re all in this together. Read this book!

Leftcoastzen I love this book! Very important read ! 3mo
AmyG The most important vote of my lifetime (and I am 65). 3mo
dabbe @AmyG 🎯. 3mo
MonicaLoves2Read Our country has become so crazy bc of politics. I don't know why people with different views can't get along 3mo
Lcsmcat @Monica5 It (frighteningly) reminds me of Ireland, when Catholics couldn‘t shop in Protestant stores or Protestants walk on Catholic streets. 3mo
38 likes2 stack adds5 comments
review
iread2much
How Democracies Die | Steven Levitsky, Daniel Ziblatt
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Pickpick

Read to understand how democracies fail, and the many threats to democracy in the USA. Key takeaways are: political norms hold democracies in place and as polarization increases, parties lose the ability to hold to political norms and democracies die; people need to form broad coalitions; and people make the decisions that kill or revived democracy.
4/5 compelling & informative. Aloy tried to eat this book. I think unions should be considered key

AnnCrystal 💕🐶💝. 7mo
iread2much @AnnCrystal 😊💜 7mo
MemoirsForMe I see Aloy is still hungry for your books. 😄😉🐾 7mo
iread2much @UwannaPublishme apparently they are very tasty 😅 7mo
28 likes4 comments
review
Cathyloves2read
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Mehso-so

How does one rate a book like this? I read it at the suggestion of a friend.The authors political views are the polar opposite of mine,but this book got me thinking.After reading it,it‘s hard to decide what to believe. The author seems very knowledgeable and definitely made a point. I‘d like to read a book telling the story from the opposite point of view. It‘s definitely going to be a crazy time between now and the ‘24 election!

review
iread2much
Surviving Autocracy | Masha Gessen
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Mehso-so

This book did not help me understand how to survive in an autocracy. I think it did a good job of mapping how, under Trump, we walked the line to becoming one, and perhaps now are in one, but I wanted to understand more about the dynamics of what living in an autocracy requires and if it‘s possible to really survive in one.
2/5 a good way to remember that we are terribly close to losing our democracy and what got us to this point.

AnnCrystal I just love your 🐶...ever so precious 💕😍❕. 1y
Mimi28 I know what you mean. The world is scary that‘s why I watch cartoons and game shows all day long, lol 😅 1y
Mimi28 You dog is adorable sorry I forgot to mention that 😊❤️😎 1y
See All 9 Comments
iread2much @AnnCrystal thank you! He‘s quite the drama king, but he‘s very adorable 🥰 1y
iread2much @Mimi28 I like to rewatch old (to me) comedy shows, like Frasier. I was hoping for more survival less recapping recent history for this book. And thank you for the dog complement, he‘s a good boy 💜🐕 1y
AnnCrystal @iread2much Drama King 💕 I love that description, 😍🎭👑! (edited) 1y
dabbe #sweetestboy 🖤🐾🖤 1y
iread2much @dabbe 🐕💜 1y
22 likes9 comments
review
Pinta
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Pickpick

Talk from Putin‘s camp of “denazification” & “desatanization” of Ukraine seemed so bizarre & laughable, but Snyder offers serious origins of Russian mythology & ideology behind the lies. Ivan Ilyin. Kleptocracy. The “innocent nation.” Historical narratives of inevitability & eternity. Russia=sacred idea rather than nation state w/ clear borders. But Snyder‘s arguments can resemble the aggrandizing, sweeping claims he associates with Putin… 2018

review
midhun.j.zacharia
How Democracies Die | Steven Levitsky, Daniel Ziblatt
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Pickpick

A timely reminder that, democracies are made of much more than the hard architecture of a constitution or our institutions and why we should cherish and protect that.