Harvard professor offers a grim assessment of American democracy

a year ago

Harvard professor Steven Levitsky warns that American democracy is slipping into competitive authoritarianism under Trump.
Freedom House has downgraded the U.S. democracy score from the low 90s to 83, placing it below Argentina and on par with Romania and Panama.
Levitsky describes competitive authoritarianism as regimes that maintain democratic facades but abuse power to tilt the playing field against opposition.
Trump's administration is accused of weaponizing government agencies like the IRS and DOJ to target critics and opponents.
Private actors, including corporations, are being coerced into cooperating with the government through regulatory threats.
Harvard University resisted Trump administration demands to alter faculty hiring and curriculum, leading to federal funding cuts.
The Republican Party's uniform support for Trump, despite his authoritarian tendencies, is a significant concern.
Elon Musk's outsized influence on the administration represents an unprecedented concentration of economic, media, and political power.
Levitsky believes the U.S. has already crossed into competitive authoritarianism, where opposing the government carries tangible risks.
Despite short-term pessimism, Levitsky sees long-term hope due to America's robust civil society and institutional checks.

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