“Tyranny of the Minority” by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt: An Overview

Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt, renowned political scientists and authors of the acclaimed book “How Democracies Die,” delve into the concept of the “tyranny of the minority” in their subsequent work. This idea explores how democratic systems can be manipulated or subverted by a minority faction, leading to disproportionate influence and control over the majority, ultimately undermining the principles of democracy.

Key Themes and Arguments

Electoral Systems and Minority Rule:

Levitsky and Ziblatt examine how certain electoral systems can facilitate minority rule. For instance, the U.S. electoral college and gerrymandering can enable a political minority to secure and maintain power despite not having majority support. This misalignment between popular will and political power is a central theme of their analysis.

Institutional Weaknesses:

The authors highlight how weaknesses and vulnerabilities in democratic institutions can be exploited by minority factions. These groups often use legal and procedural loopholes to entrench their power, further distancing governance from the democratic ideal of majority rule.