Time To Save Democracy

To govern ourselves or not? That is the existential question of politics. In light of the recent surges of political extremism--and the alienation and distrust that follow--in both the United States and Europe, ensuring the perseverance of democratic self-rule now feels particularly precarious. Time to Save Democracy tackles the daunting challenges of the current moment head-on. With clear, accessible prose, Henry Tam sets out to explore what exactly should be done to revive democracy. Moving beyond familiar 'get the vote out'-style idea, Tam sets out nine key areas where reforms are necessary to ensure we can govern ourselves more effectively, touching on notions of having a shared mission and mutual respect among politically dissimilar groups, the importance of public accountability for elected officials, and sustaining the power balance between the government and its constituents. Dispelling the suggestion that democracy has run its course, this book serves as a powerful reminder of why democratic governance is indispensable.

In the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges, Henry Tam explores what should be done to revive democracy, setting out in a clear and accessible manner 9 key areas where reforms are necessary to ensure we can govern ourselves more effectively.

Democracy in crisis -- Pandemic resilience -- Federalism is an asset -- A transformed peace: an agenda for healing our social contract.

Democracies are in danger. Around the world, a rising wave of populist leaders threatens to erode the core structures of democratic self rule. In the United States, the election of Donald Trump marked a decisive turning point for many. What kind of president calls the news media the “enemy of the American people,” or sees a moral equivalence between violent neo-Nazi protesters in paramilitary formation and residents of a college town defending the racial and ethnic diversity of their homes? Yet, whatever our concerns about the current president, we can be assured that the Constitution offers safeguards to protect against lasting damage—or can we? How to Save a Constitutional Democracy mounts an urgent argument that we can no longer afford to be complacent. Drawing on a rich array of other countries’ experiences with democratic backsliding, Tom Ginsburg and Aziz Z. Huq show how constitutional rules can either hinder or hasten the decline of democratic institutions. The checks and balances of the federal government, a robust civil society and media, and individual rights—such as those enshrined in the First Amendment—do not necessarily succeed as bulwarks against democratic decline. Rather, Ginsburg and Huq contend, the sobering reality for the United States is that, to a much greater extent than is commonly realized, the Constitution’s design makes democratic erosion more, not less, likely. Its structural rigidity has had the unforeseen consequence of empowering the Supreme Court to fill in some details—often with doctrines that ultimately facilitate rather than inhibit the infringement of rights. Even the bright spots in the Constitution—the First Amendment, for example—may have perverse consequences in the hands of a deft communicator, who can degrade the public sphere by wielding hateful language that would be banned in many other democracies. But we—and the rest of the world—can do better. The authors conclude by laying out practical steps for how laws and constitutional design can play a more positive role in managing the risk of democratic decline.

Examines the most important democratic challenges of today, using the Covid-19 pandemic as a case study.

Saving Democracy presents a bold yet practical plan for reinventing American democracy for the twenty-first century. The book diagnoses contemporary political ills as symptoms of corruption in our large republic and develops a new understanding of representative democracy. Building on the ideas of James Madison and Thomas Jefferson, Saving Democracy shows how it is possible to combine the traditional town hall and the Internet to fashion a new theory of representative government that empowers citizens and bridges the enormous gap that now exists between the political elite and the average voter. Under the author's plan, in each of the nation's 435 congressional districts a local assembly of 100 citizens, selected by lot, would meet to discuss the major domestic and international issues. The role of this assembly would be deliberative and advisory and its views would constitute a second, more sophisticated and informed measure of public opinion than traditional public opinion polls. The next step would be the establishment of the People's House, which would hold actual legislative power.

To govern ourselves or not to? This is the existential question of politics. In the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges, Henry Tam explores what should be done to revive democracy, setting out in a clear and accessible manner 9 key areas where reforms are necessary to ensure we can govern ourselves more effectively.

Foreword / by Joseph E. Stiglitz -- The improbable progressive -- Roosevelt's fragile revolution -- The New Deal's long half-life -- LBJ's tragedy and ours -- The great reversal -- Bad economics, worse politics -- Obama's missed moment -- America's last chance.