--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Is our democracy in danger? It is a…" description: "\"“Is our democracy in danger? It is a question we never thought we’d be asking. We have been colleagues for fifteen years, thinking, writing, and teachi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1c/steven-levitsky-38970_democracies_is-our-democracy-in-danger-it-is-a-quest_3152283.jpg" --- # Is our democracy in danger? It is a question we never… ![“Is our democracy in danger? It is a question we never thought we’d be asking. We have been colleagues for fifteen years, thinking, writing, and teaching students about failures of democracy in other places and times—Europe’s dark 1930s, Latin America’s repressive 1970s. We have spent years…” quote by Steven Levitsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1c/steven-levitsky-38970_democracies_is-our-democracy-in-danger-it-is-a-quest_3152283.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1c/steven-levitsky-38970_democracies_is-our-democracy-in-danger-it-is-a-quest_3152283.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1c/steven-levitsky-38970_democracies_is-our-democracy-in-danger-it-is-a-quest_3152283.jpg) > ““Is our democracy in danger? It is a question we never thought we’d be asking. We have been colleagues for fifteen years, thinking, writing, and teaching students about failures of democracy in other places and times—Europe’s dark 1930s, Latin America’s repressive 1970s. We have spent years researching new forms of authoritarianism emerging around the globe. For us, how and why democracies die has been an occupational obsession.”” [Steven Levitsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levitsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker reflects on the unexpected threat to democracy, noting their long‑term study of authoritarianism and the personal obsession with understanding why democracies fail. **In simple terms:** Democracy is at risk, and experts have studied its decline for years. Key Takeaway Stay vigilant and study democratic health. Themes politics democracy authoritarianism Mood concerned urgent Type political analytical When to use this quote - policy making - academic research - public education - media analysis Key Concepts democratic erosion historical comparison research obsession Questions to Reflect On - What signs indicate democratic decay? - How can societies prevent authoritarian shifts? A Different Perspective Complex causes may be oversimplified. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracies/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Fifteen years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fifteen-years/) [Latin america](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/latin-america/) [Teaching students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teaching-students/) ## Related quotes > [“Democracies may die at the hands not of generals but of elected leaders—presidents or prime ministers who subvert the very process that brought them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-levitsky/democracies-may-die-at-the-hands-not-of-generals-but-of-elected/) [Steven Levitsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levitsky/) > [Democracies die behind closed doors. . . . When government begins closing doors, it selectively controls information rightfully belonging to the people. Selective information is misinformation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-keith/democracies-die-behind-closed-doors-when-government-begins-closing/) Damon Keith > [Democracies die behind closed doors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-keith/democracies-die-behind-closed-doors/) Damon Keith > [“But there is another way to break a democracy. It is less dramatic but equally destructive. Democracies may die at the hands not of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-levitsky/but-there-is-another-way-to-break-a-democracy-it-is-less-dramatic-but/) [Steven Levitsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levitsky/) > [The moment politics becomes dull, democracy is in danger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-hailsham/the-moment-politics-becomes-dull-democracy-is-in-danger/) [Lord Hailsham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-hailsham/) > [Democracy is a danger to any powerful group.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/democracy-is-a-danger-to-any-powerful-group/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [ \[James\] Madison pointed out in the discussion of the constitutional debates - the constitutional convention - that democracy would be a danger. He used… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/james-madison-pointed-out-in-the-discussion-of-the-constitutional/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“This is how we tend to think of democracies dying: at the hands of men with guns.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-levitsky/this-is-how-we-tend-to-think-of-democracies-dying-at-the-hands-of-men/) [Steven Levitsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levitsky/) > [Upon the subject of education, not presuming to dictate any plan or system respecting it, I can only say that I view it as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/upon-the-subject-of-education-not-presuming-to-dictate-any-plan-or/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [“When we introduce new technologies into our classrooms we are teaching our students twice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-joseph-brown/when-we-introduce-new-technologies-into-our-classrooms-we-are/) Michael Joseph Brown > [Education can help all Americans live longer, healthier lives. Teaching students to make healthy decisions can improve habits now and instill healthy eating habits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-cartwright/education-can-help-all-americans-live-longer-healthier-lives-teaching/) [Matt Cartwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-cartwright/) > [Anyone who stops learning is old — whether this happens at twenty or at eighty. Anyone who keeps on learning not only remains young…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/anyone-who-stops-learning-is-old-whether-this-happens-at-twenty-or-at/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [Now have two generations whose minds have been totally perverted, polluted, and destroyed by the American public education system, and, in particular, the history…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/now-have-two-generations-whose-minds-have-been-totally-perverted/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [“Most schools in most countries place a higher priority on teaching students to follow instructions and rules (becoming A students) than on helping students…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitchel-resnick/most-schools-in-most-countries-place-a-higher-priority-on-teaching/) [Mitchel Resnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitchel-resnick/) > [Nothing annoys academics more than pointing out how little time they actually spend teaching students.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sykes/nothing-annoys-academics-more-than-pointing-out-how-little-time-they/) [Charlie Sykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sykes/) ## More by Steven Levitsky > [“This is how we tend to think of democracies dying: at the hands of men with guns.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-levitsky/this-is-how-we-tend-to-think-of-democracies-dying-at-the-hands-of-men/) [Steven Levitsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levitsky/) > [“A quarrel had arisen between the Horse and the Stag, so the Horse came to a Hunter to ask his help to take revenge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-levitsky/a-quarrel-had-arisen-between-the-horse-and-the-stag-so-the-horse-came/) [Steven Levitsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levitsky/) > [“the fundamental problem facing American democracy remains extreme partisan division—one fueled not just by policy differences but by deeper sources of resentment, including racial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-levitsky/the-fundamental-problem-facing-american-democracy-remains-extreme/) [Steven Levitsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levitsky/) > [“prodemocratic parties can avoid all alliances with antidemocratic parties and candidates.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-levitsky/prodemocratic-parties-can-avoid-all-alliances-with-antidemocratic/) [Steven Levitsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levitsky/) > [“But there is another way to break a democracy. It is less dramatic but equally destructive. Democracies may die at the hands not of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-levitsky/but-there-is-another-way-to-break-a-democracy-it-is-less-dramatic-but/) [Steven Levitsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levitsky/) > [“Two basic norms have preserved America’s checks and balances in ways we have come to take for granted: mutual toleration, or the understanding that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-levitsky/two-basic-norms-have-preserved-america-s-checks-and-balances-in-ways/) [Steven Levitsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levitsky/) > [“But now we find ourselves turning to our own country. Over the past two years, we have watched politicians say and do things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-levitsky/but-now-we-find-ourselves-turning-to-our-own-country-over-the-past/) [Steven Levitsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levitsky/) > [“These two norms undergirded American democracy for most of the twentieth century. Leaders of the two major parties accepted one another as legitimate and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-levitsky/these-two-norms-undergirded-american-democracy-for-most-of-the/) [Steven Levitsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levitsky/) > [“Democracies may die at the hands not of generals but of elected leaders—presidents or prime ministers who subvert the very process that brought them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-levitsky/democracies-may-die-at-the-hands-not-of-generals-but-of-elected/) [Steven Levitsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levitsky/) > [“Yet, we worry. American politicians now treat their rivals as enemies, intimidate the free press, and threaten to reject the results of elections.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-levitsky/yet-we-worry-american-politicians-now-treat-their-rivals-as-enemies/) [Steven Levitsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levitsky/) [Explore all 11 Steven Levitsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levitsky/) ## More Democracies quotes > [“the democracies that arose after the First World War (and the Second) often collapsed when a single party seized power in some combination of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-snyder/the-democracies-that-arose-after-the-first-world-war-and-the-second/) [Timothy Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-snyder/) > [In view of China's growing military strength and intentions, the best way to safeguard Asia's permanent peace and prosperity is to have all Asian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-costa/in-view-of-china-s-growing-military-strength-and-intentions-the-best/) [Jim Costa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-costa/) > [The idea that democracies could be vulnerable to demagogues is not a new notion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-kristol/the-idea-that-democracies-could-be-vulnerable-to-demagogues-is-not-a/) [Bill Kristol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-kristol/) > [There is one safeguard known generally to the wise, which is an advantage and security to all, but especially to democracies as against despots.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demosthenes/there-is-one-safeguard-known-generally-to-the-wise-which-is-an/) [Demosthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demosthenes/) > [All democracies turn into dictatorships - but not by coup. The people give their democracy to a dictator, whether it's Julius Caesar or Napoleon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/all-democracies-turn-into-dictatorships-but-not-by-coup-the-people/) [George Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/) > [Our Declaration of Independence declares that democracies derive their power from the 'consent of the governed.' But this democracy will fail if only some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-capehart/our-declaration-of-independence-declares-that-democracies-derive/) [Jonathan Capehart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-capehart/) > [Developing and newer democracies are much more susceptible to the tactics of populists and demagogues - they often do not have strong institutions, free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/developing-and-newer-democracies-are-much-more-susceptible-to-the/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [It is a law of governance that democracies have to spend themselves dizzy. Citizens of democracies can, after all, tell their government to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/it-is-a-law-of-governance-that-democracies-have-to-spend-themselves/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Israel is one of the greatest and most modern democracies on the planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matteo-salvini/israel-is-one-of-the-greatest-and-most-modern-democracies-on-the/) [Matteo Salvini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matteo-salvini/) > [What other, newer democracies find relatively easy - conducting an election, the counting of votes, the peaceful transition of power - seems to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barkha-dutt/what-other-newer-democracies-find-relatively-easy-conducting-an/) [Barkha Dutt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barkha-dutt/) > [Democracies don't go to war against each other, and by and large they don't sponsor terrorism. They're more likely to respect the environment and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/democracies-don-t-go-to-war-against-each-other-and-by-and-large-they/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [I think we need to be a superpower of human rights, of support for true grassroots democracy, not corporatist economic development, which suits our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/i-think-we-need-to-be-a-superpower-of-human-rights-of-support-for/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [The all but unanimous judgment seems to be that we, the democracies, are just as responsible for the rise of the dictators as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-emerson-fosdick/the-all-but-unanimous-judgment-seems-to-be-that-we-the-democracies/) [Harry Emerson Fosdick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-emerson-fosdick/) > [“Whatever modern democracies may tell themselves about their commitment to free speech and to diversity of opinion, the values of a given society will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/whatever-modern-democracies-may-tell-themselves-about-their/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“Western democracies did not create the virtue of citizenship; on the contrary, they grew from it. Nothing is more evident in The Federalist than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/western-democracies-did-not-create-the-virtue-of-citizenship-on-the/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) [Browse all 231 Democracies quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracies/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Is our democracy in danger? It is a question we never thought we’d be asking. We have been colleagues for fifteen years, thinking, writing, and teaching students about failures of democracy in other places and times—Europe’s dark 1930s, Latin America’s repressive 1970s. We have spent years researching new forms of authoritarianism emerging around the globe. 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