If you thought democratic governments only fall apart through violence and military coups, think again. According to two Harvard professors, with the election of Donald Trump, the United States is at risk of going down a path where elected leaders be...
If you thought democratic governments only fall apart through violence and military coups, think again. According to two Harvard professors, with the election of Donald Trump, the United States is at risk of going down a path where elected leaders become authoritarians by slowly dismantling norms and institutions.
Daniel Ziblatt, Harvard professor of government and co-author of "How Democracies Die," joined Salon's Alyona Minkovski on "Salon Talks" to talk about the warning signs of authoritarian rule, including attacks on the media and condoning violence. Trump is not the only problem, however, and the book argues that partisanship is at the root of America's current democratic decline. "There's a heightened level of increased, partisan animosity where Republicans and Democrats fear and despise each other," Ziblatt said. To hear more about what can be done to prevent the country from going down the wrong path, watch the full interview.