How does a democracy die? What lessons does history teach us? What can we do to save our own? In the 21st century democracy is threatened like never before. Drawing insightful lessons from across history—from Pinochet's murderous Chilean regime to Erdogan's quiet dismantling in Turkey—Levitsky and Ziblatt explain why democracies fail, how leaders like Trump subvert them today and what each of us can do to protect our democratic rights. 'A useful primer on the importance of norms, institutional restraints and civic participation in maintaining a democracy—and how quickly those things can erode when we're not paying attention' President Barack Obama