Show notes
As those with authoritarian tendencies escalate their rhetoric and show their intentions, the work, How Democracies Die, by Daniel Ziblatt and Steven Levitsky offers a guide for identifying the markers we're seeing around us. For citizens unconvinced that democracy is at stake, this episode makes clear that the fate of America lies in the hands of a new dynamic citizenry.
Topics discussed in this episode:
- [9:29] Rejecting or holding weak commitment to democratic rules
- [14:30] Authoritarian tendencies - denial of legitimacy of political opponents
- {18:05] Toleration or encouragement of violence
- [22:40] Readiness to curtail civil liberties of opponents or media
- [24:40] Additional curtailing of citizen rights
Resources Mentioned in this Episode:
Levitsky, Steven, and Daniel Ziblatt. How Democracies Die. Broadway Books, an Imprint of Crown Publishing, a Division of Penguin Random House, 2019.
Episode Music: An Epic Story, by MaxKoMusic | https://maxkomusic.com/
Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
Audio clips used in this episode:
“Trump Reveals How He Would Govern If Reelected to Another Term in the White House.” YouTube, YouTube, 1 May 2024, www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBCevsqSKZw&t=3s.
“What Is Christian Nationalism and Why It Raises Concerns about Threats to Democracy.” YouTube, YouTube, 1 Feb. 2024, www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgC7YQAtGOw.
Nawaz, Amna, and Saher Khan. “Trump’s Ramped-up Rhetoric Raises New Concerns about Violence and Authoritarianism.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, 13 Nov. 2023, www.pbs.org/newshour/show/trumps-ramped-up-rhetoric-raises-new-concerns-about-violence-and-authoritarianism#audio.
“Sheriffs in Texas, Elsewhere Seek Validation as New Election Police.” Public News Service, www.publicnewsservice.org/2023-04-05/civil-rights/sheriffs-in-texas-elsewhere-seek-validation-as-new-election-police/a83834-1# . Accessed 17 May 2024.
“Trump: ‘We Will Never Concede.’” YouTube, YouTube, 6 Jan. 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCdpGeA6g3Q.
McCammon, Sarah. “Donald Trump Delivers Speech Attacking Hillary Clinton as Corrupt.” NPR, NPR, 22 June 2016, www.npr.org/2016/06/22/483129527/donald-trump-delivers-speech-attacking-crooked-hillary.
“PBS NewsH
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The time-honored motif of the hero’s journey, found in narratives of myth, religion, culture, and politics, applies not only to our personal lives, but also to the journey of democracy. Here, at the crossroads of American heroism and depravity, the rule of the people requires our participation lest it slip from our fingers altogether. What does the American quest hold for the future? America’s adventure requires that, as a people, we learn the value of democracy, win newfound integrity, and transform our nation to fulfill its promised liberties. American Musecast speaks as a hopeful guide through civics, current events, and the charms and challenges of our socio-political institutions. (A reminder to like and follow.)
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